Applicability of Sub-Size Charpy Specimens to Transition Behaviour of RPV Materials

The advancement of proper methodology to determination of VVER reactor pressure vessel (RPV) materials transition behaviour has been followed. The project included selection of proper specimen geometries (standard 10x10x55 mm, sub-size 3x4x27 mm and 5x5x27.5 mm Charpy-V samples) and impact as well as dynamic fracture toughness testing. All the fundamental criterions have been applied to consider an applicability of small-sized specimens to Cr-Mo-V and Cr-Ni-Mo-V steel radiation embrittlement studies. Selected specimen geometries have been found to be fully valid for impact and dynamic fracture data and capable for prediction of standard specimen behaviour from the small specimens. Within testing of irradiated materials, it has been found not fully validity of all the compared transition temperatures.