Application of Master-Curve Approach in RPV Integrity Assessment

The Master Curve (MC) concept allows to quantify the variation of fracture toughness with the temperature throughout the ductile-to-brittle transition region of ferritic steels. Limit curves of fracture toughness for defined failure probabilities and a refer-ence temperature, T0, can be determined using this method. MC Approach and the associated T0 as defined in the standard ASTM E1921, is rapidly moving to the appli-cation in the integrity assessment of nuclear reactor pressure vessels (RPV). T0 is a fracture mechanics defined ductile-to-brittle transition temperature which replaces reference temperatures based on a correlation of Charpy V-notch and NDT tests in the RPV integrity assessment.
The presentation gives an overview about the MC approach and the application to dif-ferent western and Russian WWER-type RPV steels. Further, the influence of the test conditions as test temperature and loading rate on the MC evaluation is assessed.