Field-based description of near-surface crustal deformation in a high-strain shear zone; A Case study in southern Kyushu, Japan

Niwa, Masakazu; Shimada, Koji; Terusawa, Shuji*; Goto, Akira*; Nishiyama, Nariaki; Nakajima, Toru; Ishihara, Takanori; Hakoiwa, Hiroaki

Island Arc, 33(1), p.e12516_1 - e12516_16, 2024/02

https://doi.org/10.1111/iar.12516

To investigate the geological evidence of near-surface crustal deformations in a high-strain shear zone that has been geodetically identified but not associated with clear tectonic landforms, a fieldwork was conducted in E-W trending southern Kyushu high-strain shear zone, Japan. According to our study, an investigation based on the slip data from minor faults and the occurrences of fracture zones could help to identify a concealed fault that is small in terms of size to record tectonic landforms but can trigger large earthquakes.

Annual report for research on geosphere stability for long-term isolation of radioactive waste in fiscal year 2022

Niwa, Masakazu; Shimada, Koji; Sueoka, Shigeru; Ishihara, Takanori; Ogawa, Hiroki; Hakoiwa, Hiroaki; Watanabe, Tsuyoshi; Nishiyama, Nariaki; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Ogata, Manabu; et al.

JAEA-Research 2023-005, 78 Pages, 2023/10

JAEA-Research-2023-005.pdf:6.51MB

This annual report documents the progress of research and development (R&D) in the 1st fiscal year of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency 4th Medium- and Long-term Plan (fiscal years 2022-2028) to provide the scientific base for assessing geosphere stability for long-term isolation of high-level radioactive waste. The plan framework is structured into the following categories: (1) Development and systematization of investigation techniques, (2) Development of models for long-term estimation and effective assessment, (3) Development of dating techniques. The current status of R&D activities with previous scientific and technological progress is summarized.

Fracture toughness in postulated crack area of PTS evaluation in highly-neutron irradiated RPV steel

Ha, Yoosung; Shimodaira, Masaki; Takamizawa, Hisashi; Tobita, Toru; Katsuyama, Jinya; Nishiyama, Yutaka

Proceedings of ASME 2021 Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference (PVP 2021) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2021/07

Annual report on the effluent control of low level liquid waste in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories FY2018

Nakano, Masanao; Fujii, Tomoko; Nagaoka, Mika; Inoue, Kazumi; Koike, Yuko; Yamada, Ryohei; Yoshii, Hideki*; Otani, Kazunori*; Hiyama, Yoshinori*; Kikuchi, Masaaki*; et al.

JAEA-Review 2019-045, 120 Pages, 2020/03

JAEA-Review-2019-045.pdf:2.54MB

Based on the regulations (the safety regulation of Tokai Reprocessing Plant, the safety regulation of nuclear fuel material usage facilities, the radiation safety rule, the regulation about prevention from radiation hazards due to radioisotopes, which are related with the nuclear regulatory acts, the local agreement concerning with safety and environment conservation around nuclear facilities, the water pollution control law, and by law of Ibaraki Prefecture), the effluent control of liquid waste discharged from the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories of Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been performed. This report describes the effluent control results of the liquid waste in the fiscal year 2018. In this period, the concentrations and the quantities of the radioactivity in liquid waste discharged from the reprocessing plant, the plutonium fuel fabrication facilities, and the other nuclear fuel material usage facilities were much lower than the limits authorized by the above regulations.

Annual report on the effluent control of low level liquid waste in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories FY2017

Nakano, Masanao; Fujita, Hiroki; Mizutani, Tomoko; Nagaoka, Mika; Inoue, Kazumi; Koike, Yuko; Yamada, Ryohei; Yoshii, Hideki*; Hiyama, Yoshinori*; Otani, Kazunori*; et al.

JAEA-Review 2018-028, 120 Pages, 2019/02

JAEA-Review-2018-028.pdf:2.69MB

Based on the regulations (the safety regulation of Tokai Reprocessing Plant, the safety regulation of nuclear fuel material usage facilities, the radiation safety rule, the regulation about prevention from radiation hazards due to radioisotopes, which are related with the nuclear regulatory acts, the local agreement concerning with safety and environment conservation around nuclear facilities, the water pollution control law, and by law of Ibaraki Prefecture), the effluent control of liquid waste discharged from the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories of Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been performed. This report describes the effluent control results of the liquid waste in the fiscal year 2017. In this period, the concentrations and the quantities of the radioactivity in liquid waste discharged from the reprocessing plant, the plutonium fuel fabrication facilities, and the other nuclear fuel material usage facilities were much lower than the limits authorized by the above regulations.

Mechanical properties database of reactor pressure vessel steels related to fracture toughness evaluation

Tobita, Toru; Nishiyama, Yutaka; Onizawa, Kunio

JAEA-Data/Code 2018-013, 60 Pages, 2018/11

JAEA-Data-Code-2018-013.pdf:1.67MB

Mechanical properties of materials including fracture toughness are extremely important for evaluating the structural integrity of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs). In this report, the published data of mechanical properties of nuclear RPVs steels, including neutron irradiated materials, acquired by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), specifically tensile test data, Charpy impact test data, drop-weight test data, and fracture toughness test data, are summarized. There are five types of RPVs steels with different toughness levels equivalent to JIS SQV2A (ASTM A533B Class 1) containing impurities in the range corresponding to the early plant to the latest plant. In addition to the base material of RPVs, the mechanical property data of the two types of stainless overlay cladding materials used as the lining of the RPV are summarized as well. These mechanical property data are organized graphically for each material and listed in tabular form to facilitate easy utilization of data.

Fracture toughness evaluation of heat-affected zone under weld overlay cladding in reactor pressure vessel steel

Ha, Yoosung; Tobita, Toru; Takamizawa, Hisashi; Hanawa, Satoshi; Nishiyama, Yutaka

Proceedings of 2018 ASME Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference (PVP 2018), 6 Pages, 2018/07

Confirmation tests for Warm Pre-stress (WPS) effect in reactor pressure vessel steel (Contract research)

Chimi, Yasuhiro; Iwata, Keiko; Tobita, Toru; Otsu, Takuyo; Takamizawa, Hisashi; Yoshimoto, Kentaro*; Murakami, Takeshi*; Hanawa, Satoshi; Nishiyama, Yutaka

JAEA-Research 2017-018, 122 Pages, 2018/03

JAEA-Research-2017-018.pdf:44.03MB

Warm pre-stress (WPS) effect is a phenomenon that after applying a load at a high temperature fracture does not occur in unloading during cooling, and then the fracture toughness in reloading at a lower temperature increases effectively. Engineering evaluation models to predict an apparent fracture toughness in reloading are established using experimental data with linear elasticity. However, there is a lack of data on the WPS effect for the effects of specimen size and surface crack in elastic-plastic regime. In this study, fracture toughness tests were performed after applying load-temperature histories which simulate pressurized thermal shock transients to confirm the WPS effect. The experimental results of an apparent fracture toughness tend to be lower than the predictive results using the engineering evaluation models in the case of a high degree of plastic deformation in preloading. Considering the plastic component of preloading can refine the engineering evaluation models.

Spatial distribution of the apatite fission-track ages in the Toki granite, central Japan; Exhumation rate of a Cretaceous pluton emplaced in the East Asian continental margin

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Sueoka, Shigeru; Iwano, Hideki*; Danhara, Toru*; Ishibashi, Masayuki; Sasao, Eiji; Nishiyama, Tadao*

Island Arc, 26(6), p.e12219_1 - e12219_15, 2017/11

https://doi.org/10.1111/iar.12219

The spatial distribution of AFT age in the granitic body is a favorable key to reveal a cooling behavior of the whole pluton. The cooling behavior is attributable to the regional exhumation of the Toki granite related to the regional denudation of the Tono district. Combination of the AERs and AFT inverse model applying to the granite is a powerful procedure for evaluating the cooling and exhumation history of the granitic pluton and thus denudation history of the tectonic region that surrounded the rock body.

Annual report on the effluent control of low level liquid waste in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories FY2015

Nakano, Masanao; Fujita, Hiroki; Kono, Takahiko; Nagaoka, Mika; Inoue, Kazumi; Yoshii, Hideki*; Otani, Kazunori*; Hiyama, Yoshinori*; Kikuchi, Masaaki*; Sakauchi, Nobuyuki*; et al.

JAEA-Review 2017-001, 115 Pages, 2017/03

JAEA-Review-2017-001.pdf:3.57MB

Based on the regulations (the safety regulation of Tokai reprocessing plant, the safety regulation of nuclear fuel material usage facilities, the radiation safety rule, the regulation about prevention from radiation hazards due to radioisotopes, which are related with the nuclear regulatory acts, the local agreement concerning with safety and environment conservation around nuclear facilities, the water pollution control law, and bylaw of Ibaraki prefecture), the effluent control of liquid waste discharged from the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories of Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been performed. This report describes the effluent control results of the liquid waste in the fiscal year 2015. In this period, the concentrations and the quantities of the radioactivity in liquid waste discharged from the reprocessing plant, the plutonium fuel fabrication facilities, and the other nuclear fuel material usage facilities were much lower than the limits authorized by the above regulations.