General information

The general objective of the International Cooperative Group on Environmentally-Assisted Cracking of Water Reactor Materials (ICG-EAC, N.P.O.) is to coordinate international efforts on the EAC of structural materials in various aqueous reactor service environments. This is needed in order to develop the fundamental understanding and the relevant data base required for disposition/design criteria and safe operation (including life extension) of both boiling (BWR) and pressurized (PWR) water reactors, as well as CANDU (heavy-water moderated) plants.

Apart from providing an annual forum for the timely interchange of information, ideas and test data on the above subjects, the Group plans and coordinates cooperative research programs, develops recommended test procedures, advises on the interpretation of results in order to obtain data relevant to component design and flaw assessment, and encourages transfer of this information by organizing symposia, interacting with code committees, etc.

Membership of the Group is made up of organizations (currently 80 from 16 countries) belonging to one of four categories:

• 60% are "science/technical" organizations (universities, research laboratories, R&D entities, engineering and consulting firms, etc.);
• 15% are utilities owning light water reactors (BWR and/or PWR);
• 16% are material, component, or reactor vendors;
• 9% are nuclear regulatory organizations.

The Board of Directors of the Group, which is a non-profit organization (N.P.O.) registered in the USA, is made up of representatives of the members and consists of a chairman, a vice chairman and six board members at large, plus the ex-chairman. The administration consists of two contractual positions and the technical leadership is in the hands of ten working group (WG) leaders. The latter are internationally recognized technical experts, chosen to lead WG activities in the following areas:

• Carbon and Low-Alloy Steels (C & LAS) used for plant structural components;
• Austenitic Alloys (i.e., stainless steels and nickel-base alloys) wherever used;
• Irradiation-Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking (IASCC) of reactor core structural materials (i.e., not including fuel cladding);
• Weldments (including both weld metal and heat-affected zones in the base material).

Any queries concerning the ICG-EAC, N.P.O. should be addressed in the first instance to the Group Administrator: Dr. J. Lawrence Nelson, 56 Bradford Farm Road, Mills River, NC 28759, USA. He can be contacted via the contact form.