The Euratom 5th Framework Programme Project FRAME (fracture mechanics based embrittlement); description of the project and first results

The objectives, the experimental research programme and the first results of the FRAME project are described in the paper. Altogether 26 different materials were irradiated in a single irradiation capsule and the Master Curve based T0 shifts were measured for each material. In addition four materials were studied in the programme extension. Altogether approximately 700 fracture toughness specimens were tested in the project. The aim of FRAME was to start systematic development of Master Curve based embrittlement monitoring. Fracture toughness test is clearly superior to Charpy-V test but for historical reasons large databases, on which embrittlement trend curves can be based, exist only for the Charpy-V test. The test data validation procedure used in the project is described with some detail. No bias was noticed between the three main testing partners in the created data. First estimate for a model, which describes the dependence of embrittlement on the copper, phosphorus and nickel contents of the material, is given.