FAILURE FACTORS

THE Structural Integrity Centre (SIC) had its origins in the 1970s when major integrity issues arose on the UKAEA's plant in service, eg weld cracking in the prototype fast reactors (PFR) steam generator units, and safety concerns led to a rigorous assessment of the integrity of the civil pressurised water reactors (PWR) pressure vessel (the Marshall committee report). In both cases engineers and scientists from various disciplines throughout the authority were involved in the consideration and resolution of these issues, and it was demonstrated that assurance of plant integrity could no longer be provided by the plant designer or operator alone.