Low cycle fatigue properties of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels after high-dose neutron irradiation

This paper focuses on the low cycle fatigue (LCF) behaviour of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels irradiated to a displacement damage dose of up to 70 dpa at 330-337 degrees C in the BOR 60 reactor within the ARBOR 2 irradiation programme. The influence of neutron irradiation on the fatigue behaviour was determined for the as-received EUROFER97, pre-irradiation heat-treated EUROFER97 HT and F82H-mod steels. Strain-controlled push-pull loading was performed using miniaturized cylindrical specimens at a constant temperature of 330 degrees C with total strain ranges between 0.8% and 1.1%. Comparison of the LCF behaviour of irradiated and reference unirradiated specimens was performed for both the adequate total and inelastic strains. Neutron irradiation-induced hardening may have various effects on the fatigue behaviour of the steels. The reduction of inelastic strain in the irradiated state compared with the reference unirradiated state at common total strain amplitudes may increase fatigue lifetime. The increase in the stress at the adequate inelastic strain, by contrast, may accelerate fatigue damage accumulation. Depending on which of the two effects mentioned dominates, neutron irradiation may either extend or reduce the fatigue lifetime compared with the reference unirradiated state. The results obtained for EUROFER97 and EUROFER97 HT confirm these considerations. Most of the irradiated specimens show fatigue lifetimes comparable to those of the reference unirradiated state at adequate inelastic strains. Some irradiated specimens, however, show lifetime reduction or increase in comparison with the reference state at adequate inelastic strains.