ASTM E636-09

1.1 This guide discusses test procedures that can be used in conjunction with, but not as alternatives to, those required by Practices E 185 and E 2215 for the surveillance of nuclear reactor vessels. The supplemental mechanical property tests outlined permit the acquisition of additional information on radiation-induced changes in fracture toughness, notch ductility, and yield strength properties of the reactor vessel steels.

1.2 This guide provides recommendations for the preparation of test specimens for irradiation, and identifies special precautions and requirements for reactor surveillance operations and postirradiation test planning. Guidance on data reduction and computational procedures is also given. Reference is made to other ASTM and ISO test methods for the physical conduct of specimen tests and for raw data acquisition.

Practices E 185 and E 2215 describe a minimum program for the surveillance of reactor vessel materials, specifically mechanical property changes that occur in service. This guide may be applied in order to generate additional specific fracture toughness property information on radiation-induced property changes to better assist the determination of the optimum reactor vessel operation schemes.