Investigation on cyclic crack growth behaviour of reactor pressure vessel steels placed and loaded in the core region of an operating boiling water reactor

An experiment is described which was performed at the VAK Kahl to investigate the crack growth behaviour of RPV steels under the combined action of all service parameters. The experimental set-up and the performance of the test are described. The observed crack rates varied strongly during the experiment. The mean values are found to be clearly below the ASME limits. An influence of different neutron doses on the crack growth cannot be derived from this experiment. (orig.)Reprinted from Nuclear Engineering and Design (1992), v. 136, p. 265-276Available from TIB Hannover: RA 3251(92/E/68) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman