Validation of Constraint Based Methodology in Structural Integrity: VOCALIST — Analytical Programme

The aim of the European Community (EC) project VOCALIST (Validation of Constraint-Based Assessment Methodology in Structural Integrity) is to develop and validate innovative procedures for assessing the level of, and possible changes to, constraint-based safety margins in ageing nuclear pressure boundary components. An iterative process of experiment and analysis will address this overall objective. The analytical investigations within VOCALIST cover all three ferritic materials used in the experimental program. Two of the three materials are investigated in the ductile to brittle transition regime and the third material will be tested in the ductile regime. The main effort is to predict the results of the large-scale tests in terms of constraint effects. All participants use constraint based methods, which as a first step are calibrated to the behaviour of standard specimens and then applied to the structural features and (or) large scale tests of each material. In this contribution the progress since last year of the analytical program of VOCALIST will be reported. The analyses of the specimens and components under investigation are highlighted with respect to modelling aspects and the first results are presented.