A Study for establishment of passive creep-fatigue test techniques using the difference of thermal expansion coefficients of materials

Wakai, Takashi; Ando, Masanori; Okajima, Satoshi; Toyota, Kodai; Ishigami, Katsuo*; Onuma, Terumitsu*; Takahashi, Ryoya*; Asayama, Tai

Nihon Kikai Gakkai Rombunshu (Internet), 92(961), p.26-00004_1 - 26-00004_12, 2026/09

https://doi.org/10.1299/transjsme.26-00004

This paper describes current efforts within the Japan Atomic Energy Agency to develop a new materials surveillance technology for sodium-cooled fast reactors that aims at raising the confidence levels in operating reactors' structural integrity to the ones which could otherwise be achieved only by a vast amount of long-term material test data that needs decades to accumulate. The technology would allow for monitoring on-going materials degradation processes in an actual reactor, namely fatigue and creep-fatigue, by inserting a newly developed specimen for this purpose into the reactor and establishing procedures to observe and evaluate the specimen to get desired information such as the extent of degradation and residual life. To establish the test procedure, a passive creep-fatigue test model was developed in the framework of the "Civil Nuclear Energy Research and Development Working Group (CNWG)", a collaboration agreement between the US and Japan, and a demonstration test was performed under cyclic thermal loads using an electric furnace. Temperature conditions had been determined based on finite element analyses. As a result, the test specimen failed by several hundred thermal cycles. Macroscopic inspection of the specimen after the test showed the test had been performed successfully without buckling. Fracture surface observations suggested that the failure caused probably by fatigue or creep-fatigue.

Ultrasonic analysis of columnar crystal propagation echo in acoustically anisotropic weld metals; Targeting intergranular cracking of stainless-steel piping in pressurized water reactor primary system "FY2024 Nuclear Regulation Research Technology Infrastructure Construction Project Subsidy 'The Grant to Establish Technology Bases for Enhancement of Nuclear Regulation Research'"

Matsui, Tetsuya; Shimodaira, Masaki; Yamaguchi, Yoshihito; Toyama, Takeshi; Katsuyama, Jinya

JAEA-Research 2025-017, 41 Pages, 2026/03

JAEA-Research-2025-017.pdf:4.52MB

The JAEA Safety Research Center has been conducting fundamental research on advanced inspection and structural integrity assessment technologies since FY2024, including the development of a machine-learning-based ultrasonic flaw detection method using an ultrasonic simulator. To assess the simulator's applicability, phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) results produced by the simulator were compared with actual measurement data. Due to limited publicly available datasets, an intergranular crack in the pressurizer spray line piping of Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc.'s Ohi Nuclear Power Station Unit 3 was selected as the reference case. PAUT linear scanning analysis at a 45 incident angle detected the crack's corner and edge echoes. Strong columnar-crystal propagation echoes were also observed within the weld metal, with their intensity showing dependence on the symmetric axis angle. Analysis at a 31 incident angle similarly identified strong columnar-crystal propagation echoes, which connected to the crack's corner echoes and propagated into the weld region. These results align with actual measurements, indicating that the observed weld-metal echoes are likely attributable to columnar-crystal propagation.

Mechanical property evaluation of rocks around Tanakura Fault, 1; Applicability of impact and needle penetration tests

Asahina, Daisuke*; Takamura, Hiroaki*; Tsukamoto, Koji*; Honda, Fumito*; ITO, Takashi*; IWATA, Naoki*; Aydan, mer*; Sato, Toshinori

Dai-51-Kai Gamban Rikigaku Ni Kansuru Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu(Internet), p.43 - 47, 2025/12

Fault zones commonly contain distinctive structures such as fault cores and damage zones, where physical properties vary locally. These zones are important for evaluating underground safety and groundwater flow in waste disposal, yet quantitative measurements near faults remain limited. We applied Schmidt hammer and needle penetration tests to assess the mechanical properties of the rocks near the Tanakura Fault, in a simple, non-destructive manner. The results showed a clear spatial variation in measured values with distance from the fault gouge boundary, suggesting that combining methods with different scales and sensitivities can provide a more comprehensive evaluation of rock mass properties near faults.

Development of robot technology that contributes to the decommissioning of the 1F NPS; Development of robotics for harsh environments in 1F decommissioning utilizing DX at the JAEA Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology Development (NARREC)

Tagawa, Akihiro

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 67(9), p.510 - 513, 2025/09

https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesjb.67.9_510

no abstracts in English

Calculation method improvement of the original one-dimensional code GENGTC

Fuyushima, Takumi; Sayato, Natsuki; Otsuka, Kaoru; Endo, Yasuichi; Tobita, Masahiro*; Takemoto, Noriyuki

JAEA-Testing 2024-008, 38 Pages, 2025/03

JAEA-Testing-2024-008.pdf:2.37MB

In Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR), irradiation tests had been conducted by loading specimens into capsules for irradiating fuels and materials. The thermal design calculation of capsules is significant to irradiate various types of specimens at the target temperature. The decommissioning plan of JMTR was approved in March 2021, and the Department of Waste Management and Decommissioning Technology Development is currently working on irradiation plans by foreign testing reactors as an alternative for JMTR. A one-dimensional thermal calculation code "GENGTC", which was developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in U.S., is used for capsule design and irradiation tests. GENGTC has been repeatedly improved as improvements of computer performance, but there were some defects in calculation function. Therefore, we investigated the cause of the problem and changed the program from the currently used FORTRAN77 language program to a Visual Basic language program that uses the macro calculation function of Excel. In addition, the program was improved to make it easier to use the calculation code.

Effect of grain refinement on transgranular stress corrosion cracking in SUS304L under boiling water reactor conditions

Hirota, Noriaki; Nakano, Hiroko; Takeda, Ryoma; Ide, Hiroshi; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko; Kobayashi, Yoshinao*

Material Science and Technology of Japan, 61(6), p.248 - 252, 2024/12

A comparative analysis of the 0.2 % yield stress in SUS304L stainless steel revealed that lower strain rates and higher temperatures significantly reduce yield stress. Grain refinement from 68.6 m to 0.59 m minimally impacted the rate of yield stress reduction at slower strain rates. However, finer grains showed a decrease in yield stress at reactor operating temperature compared to room temperature. In slow strain rate tests under conditions promoting intragranular stress corrosion cracking (SCC), SUS304L with grain sizes of 28.4 m or smaller exhibited similar fracture strains comparable to those at reactor operating temperatures, whereas coarse-grained SUS304L showed reduced fracture strain. Microstructural analysis showed that in smaller grains, over 87 % of the fracture surface was ductile. In particular, SUS304L with 0.59 m grains exhibited a higher presence of {111} / 3 boundaries, which decreased with grain growth. These results indicate that grain refinement will suppress intragranular SCC by slowing corrosion progression through increased {111} / 3 boundaries.

Enhanced cryogenic mechanical properties of heterostructured CrCoNi multicomponent alloy; Insights from neutron diffraction

Naeem, M.*; Ma, Y.*; Knowles, A. J.*; Gong, W.; Harjo, S.; Wang, X.-L.*; Romero Resendiz, L.*; 6 of others*

Materials Science & Engineering A, 916, p.147374_1 - 147374_8, 2024/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2024.147374

Anisotropic creep property related to non-spherical shape of mechanically alloyed powder of oxide dispersion strengthened F82H

Sakasegawa, Hideo; Nakajima, Motoki*; Kato, Taichiro*; Nozawa, Takashi*; Ando, Masami*

Materials Today Communications (Internet), 40, p.109659_1 - 109659_8, 2024/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtcomm.2024.109659

Nanometric oxide particles play an important role in improving the creep property of Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) steels. In our previous research, we examined a microstructural feature known as prior particle boundary (PPB). PPB refers to the surface of mechanically alloyed (MA) powders before consolidation. We revealed that the ODS steel with fine PPBs produced from smaller MA powders, exhibited shorter creep rupture times, compared to that with coarse PPBs produced from larger MA powders. The size of MA powders had an impact on the creep property. In this study, we examined the shape of MA powders, which were non-spherical shapes. Such shapes have the potential to induce anisotropic creep behavior. We conducted small punch creep tests on specimens with two different orientations to study the possible anisotropy. The results revealed that the creep rupture times varied depending on the orientation of specimen, thus indicating anisotropic creep property.

Report of summer holiday practical training on 2023

Ishitsuka, Etsuo; Nagasumi, Satoru; Hasegawa, Toshinari; Kawai, Hiromi*; Wakisaka, Shinji*; Nagase, Sota*; Nakamura, Kento*; Yaguchi, Hiroki*; Ishii, Toshiaki; Nakano, Yumi*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2024-008, 23 Pages, 2024/07

JAEA-Technology-2024-008.pdf:1.69MB

Five people from three universities participated in the 2023 summer holiday practical training with the theme of "Technical development on HTTR". The participants practiced the analysis of HTTR core, the analysis of behavior on loss of forced cooling test, the analysis of Iodine deposition behavior in primary cooling system and the feasibility study of energy storage system for HTGRs. In the questionnaire after this training, there were impressions such as that it was useful as a work experience and some students found it useful for their own research. These impressions suggest that this training was generally evaluated as good.

Countermeasure against Beyond Design Basis Accident of HTTR by using fire engine

Shimazaki, Yosuke; Jidaisho, Tatsuya; Ishii, Toshiaki; Inoi, Hiroyuki; Iigaki, Kazuhiko

JAEA-Technology 2024-005, 23 Pages, 2024/06

JAEA-Technology-2024-005.pdf:5.53MB

HTTR has newly assumed Beyond Design Basis Accident (BDBA) as part of conformity assessment with the new regulatory standards and has established measures to prevent the spread of BDBA. Among these measures, to prevent the spread of BDBA caused by cooling water leaks from spent fuel storage pool, the Oarai Research Institute's fire engine was selected as an equipment to prevent the spread of BDBA, and required performances such as pumping water performance were determined. After all required performances were confirmed by inspections, the fire engine passed the operator's pre-use inspection and contributed to the restart of the HTTR operations.