Incorporation of the New Irradiation Embrittlement Correlation Method Into the Japanese Code of Surveillance Tests for Reactor Vessel Materials

A new irradiation embrittlement correlation method for reactor pressure vessel (RPV) materials was developed by the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI). In order to incorporate this new correlation method into the Japan Electric Association Code, JEAC 4201, “Method of Surveillance Tests for Structural Materials of Nuclear Reactors”, sensitivity studies for PWR and BWR reactor vessel materials were performed and the features of the new correlation method was investigated. Based on those studies, the prescription of the new correlation method in JEAC 4201 was formulated. The results of the studies and the overview of the revised JEAC 4201 are presented in this paper.