Effect and Possibilities of Irradiation Results Error Correction (Demonstrated on the Results of the IAEA Coordinated Program)

The material-state error is caused by the use of material property values, in the initial state unidentical and thus incomparable, for the determination of neutron irradiation damage. To correct the material-state error, the unirradiated-state property values must be normalized to the material location the irradiated specimens were taken from. Depending on the material property variation involved and on the effect of other error sources as well as on the purpose of the irradiation experiment, the correction of the material-state error will be a more or less necessary preparation to make irradiation results comparable.

A correction of the material-state error was performed on the results of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Coordinated Research Programme (Steel, ASTM A533-B, Class 1, HSST Plate 03). The evaluation of the corrected results led to the separation of results apparently influenced by special irradiation conditions, thus narrowing the trend band of the results effectively.

The remaining trend band appears to be the collective result of the irradiation sensitivities of all individual material states, that is, material locations represented, and thus not subject to further reduction.

A correlation of irradiation sensitivity and initial material state could not be proved.

The results do not separate as such between heavy water and light water moderated test reactors.