NRC Hybrid Workshop on Structural Materials: What Research for Beyond 80 Years?

The NRC has published Research Information Letter (RIL) 2025-06, which summarizes the outcomes of the “NRC Workshop on Structural Materials: Research for 80 Years and Beyond,” held from October 1–3, 2024, at NRC Headquarters and virtually. The workshop focused on the aging management of structural materials — specifically metals and concrete.

The report presents a research strategy to support long-term operation (LTO) of nuclear power plants, identifies key knowledge gaps associated with operation beyond 80 years, and provides strategic recommendations to guide future research efforts.

On this page:

Objectives
Motivation & Background
Workshop Sessions
Contact Information

Location / Date: NRC HQ, TWFN Auditorium, Rockville, MD, October 1-4, 2024 (Tuesday-Friday)

Format: Format: This was an in-person event with a virtual option.

ADAMS ML#s for Workshop Presentations: Included in the agenda below.

Objectives:

Explore or assess the state of knowledge (including operating experience, research activities, and associated engineering analyses) related to the performance of passive SSCs during LTO (i.e., > 80 years) and identify any research needs to provide assurance of the adequacy of existing AMPs or identify any needed modifications or additions.

Motivation & Background:

In 2021, NRC completed an activity in ADAMS to assess the feasibility of extending the time period for license renewal of nuclear power plants from the current 20 year maximum to a maximum period of 40 years, and to identify options to implement this change. One of the three main recommendations of this activity was to consider an evaluation to identify on-going research activities (related to concrete, cables, reactor vessel internals and reactor pressure vessels) that could be extended to greater exposure levels (e.g., higher fluence levels) to address the potential for reactor operations up to 100 years.

Earlier, in 2019, (RIL-2020-12) NRC held an international workshop on age-related degradation of reactor vessels and internals. While the workshop presenters varied greatly among government, academic, and industry organizations, their experiences with materials aging management were remarkably similar.

Workshop Sessions

NRC Workshop on Structural Materials: What Research for 80 Years and Beyond
October 1 – 3, 2024
NRC Headquarters, TWFN Auditorium, Rockville, MD

Days 1- 2

Workshop Sessions Metallic Materials:

Session 1: Reactor Pressure Vessel
Session 2: Reactor Pressure Vessel Internals
Session 3: Reactor Coolant Pressure Boundary Components
Session 4: Secondary Side Components
Session 5: Service Water, Buried Tanks and Piping
Session 6: Fatigue
Session 7: Mitigation

Tuesday, October 1
Introductory Session
Time	Topic	Speaker
NRC LTO Workshop Detailed Agenda Days 1-3
8:00	Welcome and Introduction	Rob Tregoning, NRC
8:05	Opening Remarks	John Tappert, NRC Susan Lesica, DOE Jim Cirilli, EPRI
8:20	Research for Long Term Operation	Jim Cirilli, EPRI
8:35	Overview of LWRS Materials Research Supporting LTO	Frank Chen, ORNL
8:50	S0P3-NRC Research: Readiness for Long Term Operation	Rob Tregoning, NRC John Wise, NRC
Session 1: Reactor Pressure Vessel (Coordinator: Jeff Poehler)
9:00	S1P1-Irradiation Damage Behavior in RPV/Low Alloy Steels: Considerations for 80 years and beyond	Grace Burke, INL
9:20	S1P2- Thermal Annealing: Fresh Look at Old Issue	Mikhail Sokolov, ORNL
9:40	S1P3-EPRI MRP RPV Integrity LTO Research	Elliot Long, EPRI
10:00 – 10:30	Break
10:30	S1P4-Session 1 Panel Discussion	Tim Griesbach, SIA Susan Ortner, NNL Brian Hall, Westinghouse Akiyoshi Nomoto, CRIEPI
Session 2: Reactor Pressure Vessel Internals (Coordinator: Austin Young)
11:15	S2P1-Connecting the dots to support Long Term Operation – What out there and what is needed?	Pal Efsing, Vattenfall
11:35	S2P2-Emerging material degradation issues in nuclear materials under extended in-service irradiation beyond 80 years	Maxim Gussev, ORNL
11:55	S2P3-Irradiation Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking: From Mechanisms to Mitigation	Steven Raiman, University of Michigan
12:15 – 13:45	Lunch Break
13:45	S2P4- Session 2 Panel Discussion	Yiren Chen, ANL Kyle Amberge, EPRI
14:30 – 14:50	Break
Session 3: Reactor Coolant Pressure Boundary Components (Coordinator: Eric Focht)
14:50	S3P1- Environmental Cracking During Extended LWR Operation	Peter Andresen, Andresen Consulting
15:10	S3P2-Addressing Gaps for Life Beyond 80: Experience based on SCC Initiation Research on RCPB Structural Materials	Ziqing Zhai, PNNL
15:30	S3P3-Long-Term Approach to Manage Stress Corrosion Cracking	Thierry Couvant, EDF
15:50	S3P4-Session 3 Panel Discussion	Bogdan Alexandreanu, ANL Mychailo Toloczko, PNNL Takumi Terachi, INSS
Concluding Remarks
16:35	Day One Wrap-Up Discussion	Rob Tregoning, NRC
17:00	Adjourn Day 1

Wednesday, October 2
Introductory Session
Time	Topic	Speaker
8:00	Welcome and Introduction	Jeff Poehler, NRC
8:05	Opening Remarks	Christian Araguas, NRC
Session 4: Secondary Side Components (Coordinator: Mekonen Bayssie)
8:10	S4P1-Evaluation of Hydrazine Alternatives as Oxygen Scavenger in PWR Secondary Systems	Yudai Yamamoto, CRIEPI
8:30	S4P2-EPRI Research on Flow-Accelerated Corrosion and Erosion in Nuclear Power Plants	Ryan Wolfe, EPRI
8:50	Session 4 Panel Discussion	Jared Smith, EPRI Frank Gift, EPRI
9:35 – 10:00	Break
Session 5: Service Water, Buried Tanks and Piping (Coordinator: Amy Hull)
10:00	S5P1-Service Water Systems at Nuclear Plants	George Licina, SIA
10:20	S5P2-Technical advances in Cured-in-Place-Pipe (CIPP) linings	John Cavallo
10:40	Session 5 Panel Discussion	Dylan Cimock, EPRI Chris Burton, Structural Technol. John Wise, NRC
11:25 – 13:00	Lunch Break
Session 6: Fatigue (Coordinator: Rob Tregoning)
13:00	S6P1-EPRI MRP Perspectives on Fatigue-Related Issues for 80 Years and Beyond	Tom Damiani, EPRI
13:20	S6P2-Fatigue Evaluation for Additive Manufacturing Materials	Seiji Asada, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
13:40	S6P3-Uncomfortable with Uncertainty?	Andrew Morley, Rolls-Royce
14:00	Session 6 Panel Discussion	Mark Gray, Westinghouse Tim Gillman, SIA Jonathan Mann, Amentum
14:45 – 15:10	Break
Session 7: Mitigation (Coordinator: Dale Delisle)
15:10	S7P1-Mitigation of Material Degradation Associated with Long Term Operation	Darren Barborak, EPRI
15:30	S7P2-Advanced Laser Welding Techniques for Repair of Irradiated Light Water Reactor Components	Jian Chen, ORNL
15:50	Session 7 Panel Discussion	Taku Arai, CRIEPI Carol Moyer, NRC Darren Barborak, EPRI
Concluding Remarks
16:35	Day Two Wrap-Up Discussion	Robert Tregoning, NRC
17:00	Closing Remarks	Steve Ruffin, NRC
17:05	Adjourn Day 2

Day 3

Workshop Session- Civil Structures:

Session 8: Civil Structures Concrete and Components

Thursday, October 3, 2024
Introductory Session (Coordinator: Jose Pires)
Time	Topic	Speaker
9:00	Welcome and Introduction	Laurel Bauer, NRC
9:05	Opening Remarks	Marissa Bailey, NRC Sue Lesica, DOE
9:20	S8P0-Overview of LWRS Materials Research	Frank Chen, ORNL
Session 8: Civil Structures Concrete and Components (Coordinators: Madhumita Sircar, Jose Pires)
9:35	S8P1-Research for Beyond 80 Years – Civil Structures	Mita Sircar/Jose Pires, NRC George Wang/Ata Istar, NRC
9:45	S8P2-Operation Beyond 80: Knowledge Gaps and Synergistic Degradation Modes in Concrete	Yann Le Pape, ORNL
10:15 – 10:30	Break
10:30	S8P3-EPRI Research on Long Term Operations: Considerations for Life Beyond 80	Samuel Johnson, EPRI
11:00	S8P4-AMPs and Future Research Need for LTO on Concrete Structures	Masa Kojima, NRA-Japan, Ippei Maruyama, Univ. of Tokyo
11:20	S8P5-Research Results on Concrete Using the Decommissioning Plant of the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant	Takashi Osaki, CEPCO
11:40 – 13:10	Lunch
13:10	S8P6-NRC Workshop: What Research for Beyond 80 Years for Civil Structures - IRSN contribution	Fabienne Ribeiro, IRSN
13:30	S8P7-NRC – EDF LTO – EDF Approach	Benoit Masson, EDF (R)
13:50	S8P8-CNSC Perspective on Gaps in Knowledge for Concrete Containment Structures for LTO	Cedric Androuet, CNSC (R)
14:10	S8P9-Aging Management of Nuclear Civil Structures - Potential Areas for Enhancements	Julia Tcherner, AtkinsRealis
14:30 – 14:45	Break
14:45	S8P10-Crevice Corrosion Assessment of Steel Liners & Cement Interface in Nuclear Power Plants	Dr. Valdir de Souza, SCKCEN (R)
15:00	S8P11-Crevice Corrosion Modelling of Steel Liners & Cement Interface in Nuclear Power Plants	Anssi Laukkanen, VTT (R)
15:15	S8P12-Creep and Creep-cracking in PCCV	Randy James, SSC (R)
15:35 – 15:50	Break
15:50	Panel Discussion	Yann LePape, ORNL Samuel Johnson, EPRI Ippei Maruyama, Univ. of Tokyo Chris Jones, Kansas State Univ. Julia Tcherner, AtkinsRealis
Concluding Remarks
16:40	Day Three Wrap-Up: Key Takeaways	Jose Pires/Mita Sircar, NRC
16:55	Closing Remarks	John McKirgan, NRC
	Adjourn Day 3

NRC-NEA Cosponsored - Harvesting Concrete and Components

Time	Topic	Speaker
9:00	Welcome and Introduction	NRC, Madhumita Sircar
9:05	Opening remarks	NRC, Michele Sampson
9:10	Opening remarks	NEA, John Nakoski (Remote)
9:15	S9P1-Harvesting Strategy, Opportunities and International Collaboration	NRC, Rob TREGONING
9:25	S9P2-Overview by NRC on Concrete Harvesting and Research	NRC, Madhumita Sircar
9:35	S9P3-LWRS Perspective on Concrete Harvesting Need and Opportunities	ORNL, Yann LEPAPE
9:55	S9P4-EPRI Research on Concrete Harvesting	EPRI, Samuel JOHNSON
10:05	S9P5-Nuclear Materials Harvesting and Beyond: Materials Acquisition, Sample Library, and Concrete-Related Research through NSUF	NSUF, Rongjie SONG
10:25	Break
10:40	S9P6-Concrete Harvesting activities/plans and related priority research topics in Japan	NRA, Masayoshi Kojima
11:00	S9P7-Concrete Harvesting activities/plans and related priority research topics in Czechia	CVUT, Petr STEMBERK
11:20	S9P8-Concrete Harvesting activities/plans and related priority research topics in Canada	CNL, Shahzma JAFFER
11:40	S9P11-Concrete Harvesting plans for EDF in France Concrete Harvesting plans for IRSN	EDF, Benoit MASSON(Remote ) IRSN, Christophe MARQUIE
12:00	Lunch Break
13:30 – 1400	Short presentations S9P11-Ringhals NPP Potential harvesting of radiated concrete S9P12- Concrete Harvesting plans in Finland S9P13- Concrete Harvesting plans in Spain S9P14- Concrete Harvesting activities in the Netherlands S9P15- Vision for Participating in Concrete Harvesting Initiative South Africa	Vattenfall Johanna SPALS (Remote) VTT Miguel FERREIRA(Remote) IETcc-CSIC Javier SANCHEZ(Remote) NRG Srijan KUMAR (Remote) Sifiso Nhleko, CNSS (Remote)
14:00	Panel1 Technical discussion: priority research topics on harvested concrete, worldwide overview and discussion on priorities for harvesting and research Moderator NRC Madhumita SICAR / Jose PIRES	ORNL Yann LEPAPE IRSN Christophe MARQUIE U of Tokyo Ippei MARUYAMA AtkinsRealis Julia TCHERNER CVUT Petr STEMBERK
15:00	Break
15:30	Panel 2 Strategic discussion: potentials for future international cooperation Moderator NEA Keiko CHITOSE	NRC Jeff POEHLER ORNL Elena TAJUELO-RODRIGUEZ EPRI Samuel JOHNSON Chubu Takashi OSAKI U of Tokyo Ippei MARUYAMA NEA Didier JACQUEMAIN(Remote) IRSN Fabienne RIBEIRO
16:30	Wrap-up: Key workshop takeaways, Next steps	NEA, Didier JACQUEMAIN (Remote), NRC, Jose Pires

Contact Information:

Contacts:
Jeff Poehler
Amy Hull
Mekonen Bayssie
Madhumita Sircar
Rob Tregoning

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, November 20, 2025