We have succeeded in designing an international ASTM standard in Denver, USA

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) meeting in the USA adopted a draft technical standard prepared by Milan Brumovský and Radim Kopřiva from our Integrity and Technical Engineering division. It is the use of a perspective test method of miniaturized bodies in the form of thin sheets. The successful adoption of the standard completed demanding, multi-year process that, in addition to technical documentation, included interlaboratory tests in 14 laboratories around the world.

The newly adopted standard is focused on conducting and evaluating the miniature thin sheet test (SPT). This test has been known for many years but has never been supported by a fully-fledged internationally recognized standard. Test validation as an ASTM standard is an important basis for using this method to assess the integrity of nuclear power plant components. It can be used as part of of surveillance programmes and irradiation experiments, including subsequent analyses of material degradation and microstructure assessment of irradiated materials, ie to monitor changes in the mechanical properties of reactor pressure vessel materials during power plant operation.

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