Fracture Mechanics Characterisation of the WWER-440 Reactor Pressure Vessel Core Welding Seam

The Master Curve (MC) approach as standardised in the ASTM Standard Test Method E 1921-05 was applied on weld metal of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) core welding seam of Greifswald Unit 8 RPV. Charpy size SE(B) specimens from 13 locations equally spaced over the thickness of the welding seam were tested. The specimens are TL and TS orientation.
The fracture toughness values measured on the SE(B) specimens with both orientations follow the course of the Master Curve. Nearly all values lie within the fracture toughness curves for 5% and 95% fracture probability. There is a strong variation of the reference temperature T0 though the thickness of the welding seam, which can be explained with structural differences. The scatter is more pronounced for the TS SE(B) specimens. It can be shown that specimens with TL and TS orientation in the welding seam have a differentiating and integrating behaviour, respectively.