Fracture mechanics characterisation of the WWER-440 reactor pressure vessel beltline welding seam

The master curve (MC) approach as standardised in the ASTM Standard Test Method E1921 was applied to weld metal of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) beltline 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 orientation of the specimens within the welding seam is TL and TS according to ASTM E399.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 2% and 98% fracture probability. There is a strong variation of the reference temperature T0 through the thickness of the welding seam, which can be explained by microstructural 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.