Elasto-Plastic Fracture Mechanics Characterization of Type 316H Irradiated Stainless Steel up to 1 dpa
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Published:1985
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The subject of this research concerns a vast irradiation program of the stainless steel material that is used extensively in Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors (LMFBRs) irremoveable primary circuit components. Irradiations covering the 0.1, 0.3, 1, and 2 displacements per atom (dpa) neutron damage have been planned. The results presented concern the nought, 0.1, 0.3, and 1 dpa irradiations. Irradiation and tests are conducted at 350°C and 550°C on plane-sided three-point bend bars. The Type 316H stainless steel has been considered in the base condition, the welded deposits, and the heat-affected zone (HAZ) material. To study the stable crack extension with rising loads behavior of this steel, crack-growth resistance curves have been elaborated using key curves. Consistent crack-growth resistance curves are obtained in all cases. The results indicate a low degradation with increasing fluence for the weld material at both temperatures. The base material has given indications of strongly decreasing toughness at 0.1 dpa and at the 1 dpa fluences at 550°C with respect to the results at 0 and 0.3 dpa. No significant alterations have been found at 35O°C and at all fluences. The HAZ material was studied too, and it was found that all J values corresponding to various crack advances fell within the base material results at 350°C as upper bound and the weld material at 55O°C as lower bound at corresponding fluence levels.