Techniques have been developed by EDF's hot laboratory in Chinon for performing mechanical tests on irradiated materials. Some of these techniques aim to facilitate strain measurements, which are particularly difficult to perform on irradiated specimens at high temperatures or on subsize specimens.

Recent progress has been driven by laser technology combined with software development. The use of this technique, which allows strain measurements without contact on the specimen, is described for tensile (especially on subsize specimens), fatigue and creep tests.