Use of Mini-CT Specimens for Fracture Toughness Characterization of Low Upper-Shelf Linde 80 Weld Before and After Irradiation

Mini-CT specimens are becoming a highly popular geometry for use in reactor pressure vessel (RPV) community for direct measurement of fracture toughness in the transition region using the Master Curve methodology. In the present study, Mini-CT specimens were machined from previously tested Charpy specimens of the Midland low upper-shelf Linde 80 weld in both, unirradiated and irradiated conditions. The irradiated specimens have been characterized as part of a joint ORNL-EPRI-CRIEPI collaborative program. The Linde 80 weld was selected because it has been extensively characterized in the irradiated condition by conventional specimens, and because of the need to validate application of Mini-CT specimens for low upper-shelf materials — a more likely case for some irradiated materials of older generation RPVs. It is shown that the fracture toughness reference temperatures, T_o, derived from these Mini-CT specimens are in good agreement with T_o values previously recorded for this material in the unirradiated and irradiated conditions. However, this study indicates that in real practice it is highly advisable to use a much larger number of specimens than the minimum number prescribed in ASTM E1921.