ASTM E1253-21

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Designation: E1253 − 13 E1253 − 21
Standard Guide for
Reconstitution of Irradiated Charpy-Sized Specimens
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1253; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This guide covers procedures for the reconstitution of ferritic pressure vessel steels used in nuclear power plant applications,
steel, Type A Charpy V-notch specimens (Test Methods E23) specimens and Charpy-sized fracture toughness specimens suitable
for testing in three point bending in accordance with Test Methods E1921 or E1820. Materials from irradiation programs
(principally broken specimens) Ferritic steels (principally broken specimens used in nuclear power plant irradiation programs) are
reconstituted by welding end tabs of similar material onto remachined specimen sections that were unaffected by the initial test.
Guidelines are given for the selection of suitable specimen halves and end tab materials, for dimensional control, and for avoidance
of overheating the notch area. A comprehensive overview of the reconstitution methodologies can be found in Ref (1).
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only. after
SI units are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the
applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E23 Test Methods for Notched Bar Impact Testing of Metallic Materials
E185 Practice for Design of Surveillance Programs for Light-Water Moderated Nuclear Power Reactor Vessels
E220 Test Method for Calibration of Thermocouples By Comparison Techniques
E1820 Test Method for Measurement of Fracture Toughness
E1921 Test Method for Determination of Reference Temperature, T , for Ferritic Steels in the Transition Range
o
E2215 Practice for Evaluation of Surveillance Capsules from Light-Water Moderated Nuclear Power Reactor Vessels
3. Significance and Use
3.1 Practice E185 defines the minimum requirements for light-water reactor surveillance program Charpy V-notch specimens and
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E10 on Nuclear Technology and Applicationsand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E10.02 on
Behavior and Use of Nuclear Structural Materials.
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2013Sept. 1, 2021. Published January 2013October 2021. Originally approved in 1993. Last previous edition approved in 20072013 as
E1253-07.-13. DOI: 10.1520/E1253-13.10.1520/E1253-21.
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of this standard.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E1253 − 21
Practice E2215 describes the evaluation of test specimens from surveillance capsules. It may be desirable to extend the original
surveillance program beyond availablewith additional specimens for plant aging management issues, such as plant license renewal,
to better define existing data, or to determine fracture toughness of a material when no standard fracture toughness test specimens
are available. The abilitypossibility to reconstitute the broken halves of existing specimens can provide such data.specimens which
can be tested.
3.2 Charpy-sized specimens are typically machined from virgin material, that is, material not previously mechanically tested.
There are occasions that exist when either (1) no full size specimen blanks are available or (2) the material available with the
desired history (such as having been subjected to irradiation) is not sufficient for the machining of full-size specimens, or both.
3.3 AnA solution to this problem, which is addressed in this guide, is to fabricate new specimens using the broken halves of
previously irradiated and tested Charpy-sized specimens or other material irradiated for this purpose. pieces of ferritic steel too
small to fabricate a full Charpy-sized specimen. In this guide, the central segment of each new specimen utilizes a broken half of
a previously tested specimen and end tabs that are welded to the central segment, or the central section may simply be a piece of
virginuntested material shorter than a Charpy-sized specimen. While specifically addressing reconstitution of irradiated pressure
vessel steels, this guide can also provide guidance for reconstitution of Charpy-sized specimens for other situations involving
material availability.where material availability is limited.
4. Reconstitution Technique
4.1 Welding Process:
4.1.1 Any welding process may be chosen, provided that the heat input and dimensional constraints, as prescribed in this guide,
can be achieved. Work to date has indicated successful results with stud welding (2), electron beam welding (3,4), projection
welding (5), and laser welding (6).
4.1 Specimen Preparation: Welding Process—Any welding process may be chosen, provided that the heat input and dimensional
constraints, as prescribed in this guide, can be achieved. Work to date has indicated successful results with stud welding (2),
electron beam welding (3, 4), projection welding (5), and laser welding (6).
Specimen Preparation
4.1.1 The minimum length of the specimen insert shall be 18.0 mm (0.71 in.) unless the conditions stipulated in 4.1.6.2 are fulfilled
(see Fig. 1).
4.1.2 The specimen insert used for reconstitution and its orientation shall be identified such that it can be traced to the original
specimen. specimen, if applicable. Fig. 1 illustrates the components of the reconstituted specimen and defines several terms used
in the following discussion. The central test section of the insert lies between the heat-affected zones (HAZ) created by the
NOTE A—No plastic deformation from previous testing is permitted in the central test section. section of the 18 mm specimen insert. Temperature during welding in the
10-mm (0.39-in.) 10 mm (0.39 in.) central test section shall not exceed the irradiation temperature.
FIG. 1 Schematic of a Reconstituted Charpy Specimen
E1253 − 21
reconstitution welds. Within this central test section, the temperature during reconstitution welding shall not exceed the irradiation
temperature in a 10-mm (0.39-in.) 10 mm (0.39 in.) region centered about the notch.
4.1.3 Each end face of the specimen insert and the selected extension tabs shall be prepared as required by the particular welding
method selected.
4.1.4 If comparable data between the original and reconstituted specimens are required, then the orientation of the reconstituted
specimen and of the original specimen must be identical.
4.1.5 The strength and the material type of the end tabs shall be similar to the specimen insert. This can be important, especially
in the case of irradiated (highly hardened) materials. Strength or hardness and material type for the end tabs and central insert shall
be documented. Differences within a defined range were shown not to influence the test results (7). The use of oversized tabs and
subsequent machining is permitted.
4.1.6 It is important to ensure that the plastic deformation beneath the notch, produced when the reconstituted specimen is tested,
will occur entirely within previously undeformed material in the central test section. The following guidelines are provided to meet
this objective:
4.1.6.1 To ensure that the specimen insert volume, subjected to plastic deformation during the subsequent testing, is free of prior
plastic deformation, deformation as indicated by dimensional change, sufficient material shall be removed from the fractured end
of the broken specimen half. Some plastic deformation on either end of the original insert can be accepted if it is outside the central
10-mm (0.39-in.) 10 mm (0.39 in.) portion.
4.2.5.2 The minimum length of the specimen insert shall be 18.0 mm (0.71 in.) unless the conditions stipulated in 4.2.5.3 are
fulfilled.
4.1.6.2 The dimensional requirement of 18 mm (0.71 in.) is based on Charpy impact specimens tested on the upper shelf (where
the plastic zone is largest) and fabricated with the stud welding reconstitution technique (where heat input and HAZ sizes are
largest). Reconstituted specimens tested in the lower transition range or on the lower shelf in accordance with Test Methods E23
and reconstituted precracked specimens tested in accordance with Test Methods E1820 or E1921 will have much smaller plastic
zones. Other reconstitution techniques, such as electron beam welding, produce HAZs smaller than stud welding. Therefore, this
dimensional requirement may be relaxed, if it can be experimentally or analytically shown that the plastic deformation zone in
subsequent testing will not extend into the heat affected zones HAZ produced by reconstitution and the requirement of 4.4.14.3.1
is met (see Fig. 1). Test programs have shown acceptable Charpy results using shorter inserts (8-10).
4.1.7 Many weld specimens contain base material and HAZ. Therefore, care shall be taken such that the heat-affected zone of an
original weld is not contained in the central test section of the reconstituted specimen (see Fig. 1). HAZ specimens can be used
as an additional source of weld or base material for inserts. In an inhomogeneous specimen insert, which contains base or weld
material and HAZ, only the target test material shall be contained in the central 10-mm (0.39-in.) 10 mm (0.39 in.) portion.
4.2 Fixturing—The fixture design will depend upon the type of welding process chosen for the welding operation. A successful
design will maintain dimensional control, minimize heat input to the central test section, and satisfy design constraints associated
with remote handling.
4.3 Heat Input:
4.3.1 To In the case of irradiated material, to preclude irradiation damage annealing, heat input during welding shall be controlled
such that no part of the volume of the central 10-mm (0.39-in.) central 10 mm (0.39 in.) portion of the reconstituted Charpy-sized
specimen exceeds the prior metal irradiation temperature at any time during welding (see Fig. 1). This requirement can be relaxed
if it can be shown that the plastic deformation zone in subsequent testing will not extend pastinto the zone where irradiation
temperature is exceeded.
4.3.2 To demonstrate that the temperature requirement of 4.4.14.3.1 is met for a given selection of welding parameters,
temperature records shall be made daily, using thermocouples, during welding a set of Charpy-sized specimens.specimen. Such a
demonstration is preferably made on dummy inserts with thermocouples that are welded or soldered in the mid-thickness of the
dummy insert. If surface thermocouples are used, then a surface-to-center temperature correction must be made an
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