Estimation of mechanical properties of cast stainless steels during thermal aging in LWR systems

A procedure and correlations are presented for assessing thermal embrittlement and predicting mechanical properties of cast stainless steels under light water reactor operating conditions from known material information. The ``saturation`` fracture toughness of a cast stainless steel, i.e., the minimum value that would be achieved for the material after long-term service, is estimated from the chemical composition of the steel. Fracture properties as a function of time and temperature of service are estimated from the kinetics of embrittlement, which are also determined from chemical composition. The correlations successfully predict fracture toughness, Charpy-impact, and tensile properties of cast stainless steels from the Shippingport, Ringhals, and KRB reactors