Summary of key results in the first 18 months of project implementation

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The First Periodic Report of the project STRUMAT-LTO was submitted and accepted by the European Commission.

The report summarizes the key achievements from the first 18 months of project implementation. Here are the highlights from our Work Packages:

In WP1, a test matrix at task level per partner, including details of test types and number of specimens, has been finalized. Irradiated material transport from NRG to STUBA, EK, VTT, UJV, HZDR, and KINR (all six transports) are finished. The majority (~90%) of the reference and PIE testing planned has been finished: Specifically, Tensile testing (T1.2), KLST testing (T1.3), and thermal annealing (T1.5). This also means ~50% of total reference and PIE tests planned within the whole project are finished. The analysis of the test results helps in understanding the embrittlement behavior of RPV steels at high fluences and the effectiveness of thermal annealing in recovery after high fluence irradiation (Figure 3). Individual and synergetic influence of alloying elements on tensile and KLST impact properties are studied in as received, irradiated and post irradiated annealed conditions. Another important achievement was reporting of all LYRA-10 materials and irradiation documents, such as Irradiation report, dosimetry report, report on origin and manufacturing of the LYRA-10 specimens, specific fluences, previous reference test data, to have a solid basis for analyzing the PIE test results of the project.
In WP2, it is planned to use the remnants of the Lyra-10 specimens to get further information from the expensive and unique materials irradiated in Lyra –10. Consequently, the critical part of the tasks will be done in the next period. During the first 18 months, all participants upgraded the testing facilities and installed new extensometers for the use of irradiated non-standard specimens.
For the preparation of small specimens testing in WP2, two voluntary Round-Robin (RR) test programs on mini-CT and SPT are organized to evaluate and harmonize inter-laboratory differences in fabrication, testing, and analysis methods. EK-CER has provided broken Charpy specimens to produce and small punch test (SPT) and mini-CT specimens. The preliminary analysis of SPT RR results is finished, and the results have been submitted for publication in ASME PVP 2022 conference. Testing of mini-CT RR specimens is currently in progress.
In WP3, all unirradiated materials are distributed to the partners. Microstructural characterization of the unirradiated reference conditions of the selected model steels A, B, C, F, G, and H using LOM, SEM-EBSD, TEM, APT is almost completed. The test matrix for microstructural investigation has been issued.
In WP4, the collection and expert analysis of available Embrittlement Trend Equations (ETE) for VVER- 1000/PWR RPV steels to be applicable for Lyra-10 irradiation materials and conditions is ongoing. The part of the report is already finished, while the other partners are busy providing their inputs which will be combined in deliverable D4.1.
The WP5 will start in M24.
Finally, in WP6, many dissemination and communication activities have taken place. The first papers were accepted for publishing, and a few more are in the pipeline. The STRUMAT-LTO project was presented at three international conferences and in three meetings of FRACTESUS, ENTENTE, and NUGENIA. In the next period, the idea is to enhance the presentation of the first results to the scientific community.

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