Radiation embrittlement modelling for reactor pressure vessel steels: II. ductile fracture toughness prediction

摘要

Modelling for the irradiation effect on ductile fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel steels (RPV) is performed on the basis of ductile fracture criterion proposed earlier by the authors. The irradiation effect on mechanisms controllingductile fracture is considered from a physical viewpoint. Modelling of the irradiation effect is carried out on the critical strain for smooth cylindrical specimens and on the local critical strain for cracked specimens. On the basis of the performedstudies a scheme that allows an evaluation of the upper shelf level of the K{sub}(IC)(T) curve for irradiated RPV steels is proposed.