SEDL / STP / STP1171-EB / STP18030S

Specimen Size Effects on J-R Curves for RPV Steels

Hiser, AL
Materials engineer, United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC,

Pages: 44    Published: Jan 1993

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Abstract

This study examined the effect of specimen size on J-R curves for reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. Overall comparisons for monolithic materials (base plate and forging) indicated that no significant size effect is apparent, using standard formulations for the J-integral within commonly accepted validity bounds. However, materials that are composite in nature, such as weld materials, or exhibit macro-scale inhomogeneities gave significant differences in JR curve trends for different sizes of specimens.