RADIATION AND THERMAL EMBRITTLEMENT OF RPV STEELS: THE LINKS OF EMBRITTLEMENT MECHANISMS, FRACTURE MODES AND MICROCRACK NUCLEATION AND PROPAGATION PROPERTIES Part 2. Strength and plasticity properties

The uniaxial tension test results are represented over wide temperature range for smooth round bars of 2Cr–Ni–Mo–V steel and A533 steel used for RPVs of WWER and PWR types. These steels are studied in the following states: (1) the initial (as-produced) state; (2) the thermally embrittled state modelling hardening mechanism of embrittlement; (3) the thermally embrittled state modelling non-hardening mechanism of embrittlement; (4) the irradiated state. 
The true stress-strain curves are determined over wide temperature range that is required for calculation of the stress-and-strain fields for various specimens. The true stress-strain curves for the investigated steels in the initial and thermally embrittled states are obtained when using standard mechanical characteristics. For the irradiated steels the true stress-strain curves are obtained when using the data of the digital video recording under continuous in-testing monitoring of the cylindrical parts of tensile bars. For the irradiated materials the procedure based on standard characteristics cannot be used as it is connected with very small strain. The procedure based on the digital video recording data is verified by comparison of the stress-strain curves obtained for the initial and thermally embrittled states on the basis of the digital video recording data and standard characteristics.