IAEA Coordinated Research Project on the Establishment of a Material Properties Database for Irradiated Core Structural Components for Continued Safe Operation and Lifetime Extension of Ageing Research Reactors.

Today, more than 50% of the operating Research Reactors (RRs) are over 45 years old. Thus, ageing management is one of the most important issues to face in order to ensure availability (including life extension), reliability and safe operation of these facilities for the future. Management of the ageing process requires, amongst others, the predictions for the behavior of structural materials of major components subjected to irradiation such as reactor vessel and core support structures, many of which are difficult to replace. In fact, age-related material degradation mechanisms can result in unplanned outages as well as lengthy shutdowns and the need for additional regulatory activity, which could have been prevented by utilizing available data for the implementation of appropriate maintenance and surveillance programs. The proposed IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) will provide a forum for input and discussion of relevant materials data and operating experience with RRs leading to the establishment of a “Research Reactor Irradiated Structural Components and Materials Properties Database” to be used by RRs Operators and Regulators to help to predict ageing related degradation. In order to collect information on the needs and types of activities considering the prediction of ageing related degradation of core components, a questionnaire was submitted to Member States. The analysis of the preliminary responses of the questionnaire is presented in this work.