Nuclear Engineering and Design 129 (1991) 239-254 239

North-Holland

The French code RCC-M: Design and construction rules

for the mechanical components of PWR nuclear islands
G. Baylac a and J.M. Grandemange b
a Electricit
de France, Engineering & Construction Division, 22 - 30, Avenue de Wagram, F-75382 Paris, France
’ FRAMA TOME/AFCEN, Tour Fiat-Cedex 16, 92084 Paris-La-DPfense, France

Received 25 July 1989, revised version 26 February 1990

The RCC-M, “Rbgles de Conception et de Construction des Materiels Mkcaniques des Ilots Nucltaires PWR”, or in
English, “Design and Construction Rules for the Mechanical Components of PWR Nuclear Islands”, gathers within one set of
rules all design and construction practices relating to the mechanical components of French PWR nuclear islands. This paper
is a presentation of the RCC-M. Throughout this presentation the philosophy of the RCC-M will be compared to that of the
ASME Code - Section III - Division 1, and related Sections.

1. Introduction introduction to the RCC-M with a general correspon-

dence of the RCC-M and the ASME Code; the second
The RCC-M, “Regles de Conception et de Construc- is a detailed, section-by-section description of the RCC-
tion des Materiels Mecaniques des Ilots Nucltaires M with an indication of the major differences with the
PWR”, or in English, “Design and Construction Rules ASME Code.
for the Mechanical Components of Nuclear Islands”,
represents one part of the French Design and Construc-
tion Rules for PWR nuclear islands (RCC). 2. Presenting the RCC-M
The other parts of the RCC are:
- RCC-P System design, 2.1. History of the RCC-M
- RCC-E Electrical equipment,
- RCC-G Civil works, The codification of the concepts embodied in the
- RCC-C Fuel assemblies, RCC-M is quite recent. Electricite de France (EDF) and
- RCC-I Fire protection. FRAMATOME began this codification in April 1978,
The RCC-M deals mainly with pressure-retaining when 30 PWRs were built or under construction. By the
components and thus is also part of a complete set of middle of November 1978, the main French manufac-
French Codes and Standards on Boilers and Pressure turers of nuclear-related products were given a first
Vessels (Thomas, and Grandemange, 1987). draft for review. After discussion with the major manu-
The guiding principle of the RCC-M was to place facturers, the document was revised, and in April 1979
within one set of rules all design and construction it was sent to the manufacturers and the French author-
practices for the mechanical components of PWR ities for final review. The first edition of the RCC-M
nuclear islands. This paper is a presentation of the was then issued in January 1980. By May of that same
RCC-M. Throughout this presentation, the philosophy year, EDF’s new orders for plants began referring to the
of the RCC-M will be compared to that of the Ameri- RCC-M.
can Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Boiler and Pres- In October 1980, EDF, Framatome and Novatome
sure Vessel Code - Section III - Division 1, and related founded the “Association Fran@e pour les Rbgles de
Sections, which will be referred to herein as the ASME Conception et de Construction des Materiels des
Code (ASME Code, 1988). Chauditres Electra-NucMaires” - AFCEN (French
This report comprises two parts: the first is an Society for Design and Construction Rules for Nuclear

0029-5493/91/$03.50 0 1991 - Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland)

240 G. Ba&~c: J. M. Grandemonge / The French code RCC- M

Island Components). In November 1980, AFCEN pub- This EDF document written without reference to the
lished the RCC-M, as developed by EDF and Frama- ASME Code was issued for the first time in 1970 for the
tome. construction of the Fessenheim plant and continually
Successive editions of the RCC-M appeared in 1981, revised until it was replaced by the RCC-M.
1983, 1985, and 1988. This text refers to the 1988 The CPFC gives stringent Owner’s specifications re-
edition of the code (RCC-M, 1988). garding:
In April 1981, the relevant French authorities for- . content of residual elements such as phosphorus and
mally approved the RCC-M for application to the de- sulphur,
sign and construction of mechanical components of Charpy U-notch and Charpy V-notch impact tests,
French PWR nuclear islands (Regle Fondamentale de intercristalline corrosion,
SQretC no V.2.c. 1981 and 1986). . filler material and base metal,
criteria for the interpretation of indications of non-
2.2. Genesis of the RCC-M destructive examination, wi!h a special emphasis on
ultrasonic examination.
The design rules given in the RCC-M were originally _ moreover, for each series of units, 4000 specifications
based on the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code - were issued by the manufacturers and approved by EDF
Section III, Nuclear Power Plant Components - Divi- on a case-by-case basis.
sion 1 - Subsections NB, NC, ND, NG, NF, but also The RCC-M embodies the French industrial prac-
draw on the achievements of development work under- tice, as defined by all of the above documents. Some
taken in France and from the extensive feedback from minor modifications were introduced in 1979, regarding
France’s large nuclear power program having resulted welding to establish compatibility with the Ministerial
in French industrial practice. Order related to the welding of pressure-retaining com-
The rules for fabrication and examination given in ponents (Arr&te du 24 mars 1978).
the RCC-M are a description of current practice in the
French nuclear industry based on its own nuclear and 2 3. Scope of the RCC-M
industrial experience.
In 1974, when the French nuclear program was In writing the RCC-M it was decided to limit the
accelerated, two important documents were available: scope to technical requirements and to not include
_ the French Ministerial Order, dated February 1974, on regulatory aspects covered by other documents. There-
the Main Primary System of Light Water Nuclear fore the RCC-M comprises a set of technical rules to be
Boilers (Art&C du 26 fevrier 1974) applied by a Manufacturer or a Supplier in the design
This Ministerial Order comprises four sections, as and construction of mechanical components for PWR
follows: nuclear islands, primarily for safety-related compo-
l general dispositions, nents.
l Construction (design, materials, fabrication, testing), The most important class of components covered by
l start-up, operation, maintenance and in-service moni- the RCC-M is that of the pressure-retaining compo-
toring, nents, such as pressure vessels, heat exchangers, piping,
l other dispositions. pumps, and valves.
The requirements of the Ministerial Order differ Thus, the RCC-M covers all pressure-boundary parts
from those of the ASME Code - Section III Division 1 and a few supplementary elements of pressure-retaining
- Subsections NCA and NB, regarding the following components. The supplementary elements are clearly
subjects: indicated in the RCC-M e.g. pump impellers and dif-
l design and fabrication inspection, fusers. In addition to the pressure retaining-compo-
l definition of the situations used in design calculation, nents, the supports of these components and the reactor
l more stringent safety coefficients for the third cate- internals, because of their importance, are also included
gory (emergency) situations, in the scope of the RCC-M.
l hydrostatic test pressure. For the manufacturing phase, the RCC-M provides
~ and the “Cahier des Prescriptions de Fabrication et de the general rules that a Manufacturer must apply to
ContrcYe des Chaudieres a Eau” (Register of Prescrip- demonstrate that his methods are acceptable. Finally,
tions for the Fabrication and Control of Light Water for the examination phase, the RCC-M specifies the
Boiler Components), designated hereafter as CPFC contents of the procedures to be developed. Require-
(CPFC, 1974). ments not included in the RCC-M, such as functional
 G. Baylac, J. M. Grandemange / The French code RCC-M 241

aspects and test conditions for certain components, are Inspection Agency”, designated or acceptable to the
within the scope of the Equipment Specifications. Enforcement Authority of a state of the United States
In the United States, the ASME Code-Section III or a province of Canada; his duties are primarily con-
rules apply to all nuclear steam supply system types. nected with verifications of the ASME requirements
The RCC-M is more precise, since it covers mainly and certifications.
French PWR types. Owner’s and Prime Contractor’s responsibilities, which
Design and construction inspections are outside the are within the scope of the ASME Code - Section III -
scope of the RCC-M. At government level, the Minister Subsection NCA, are outside of the scope of the RCC-M,
of Industry is, in France, responsible for matters con- since they are dealt with in other documents.
cerning the safety of nuclear installations. The “Service In France, EDF is responsible for plant design,
Central de StiretC des Installations Nucleaires” (SCSIN) construction and operation. A Quality Assurance Plan
(Central Service for Safety of Nuclear Installations), has been established at EDF, in conformity with:
created by the Decree of March 13, 1973, is a special- - the Ministerial order dated August 10, 1984, related
ized service within the Ministry of Industry, for safety- to the quality of design, construction and operation
related matters. of basic nuclear installations (ArrCtt du 10 aofit
It seemed advisable to devolve the surveillance of 1984)
basic nuclear installations to the “Directions Rtgionales - the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
de 1’Industrie et de la Recherche” (DRIRs) (Regional Code of Practice N” 50-C-QA (Code of Practice
Industry and Research Directorates). Specialized SO-C-QA, 1978)
Nuclear Divisions were thus set up in these Directo- As far as concerns plant design and construction in
rates. France, [EDF is Prime Contractor and prescribes qual-
The responsibilities transferred to DRIRs in this way ity assurance rules to the Contractor defined in the
made them natural spokesmen for local authorities with RCC-M as “Individual and legal entity responsible for
regard to all safety matters concerning the construction the design and construction of all or part of the nuclear
and operation of basic nuclear installations, thereby island (e.g. the nuclear steam supply system)“. In turn,
relieving the action of the SCSIN. the Contractor is responsible for “notifying each
Moreover, regulations also give DRIRs the responsi- Manufacturer of the applicable quality assurance re-
bility for supervising the application of pressure vessel quirements”.
regulations in all facilities, in particular nuclear plants. Chapter A 5000 of the RCC-M covers requirements
Special regulations (ArrCtC du 26 ftvrier 1974) apply to applicable to the preparation and implementation of
the “Construction”, start-up, operation, maintenance, quality assurance programmes and details Contractor’s
and in-service monitoring of the Main Primary System. and Manufacturer’s responsibilities.
In this case Construction covers design, materials, fabri-
2.4. Updating of the RCC-M
cation, control systems, fabrication control, and testing.
For instance, the “Bureau de Controle de la Con- The RCC-M is established and updated by Working
struction Nucleaire” (BCCN) (Nuclear Construction Groups covering design, materials, fabrication and ex-
Central Office), located in Dijon, is a DRIR responsible aminations. Their decisions are approved by the RCC-M
for ensuring application of pressure vessel regulations in Subcommittee and by the AFCEN Writing Committee
the Construction of nuclear steam supply systems. before publication. Interpretation and Modification Re-
In the United States and Canada, the ASME Code is quest Sheets are available, the procedure to be followed
enforced by legal Authorities as a legal document. Sub- being indicated on the back of these sheets. They are
section NCA specifies that only organizations holding sent to the Administrative Office of the AFCEN Society.
Certificates issued by ASME are authorized to perform Interpretation Requests are analyzed by a Working
Code activities. In the same Subsection the responsibili- Group. The answer is sent to the requestor by AFCEN’s
ties and duties of all the parties involved (Owner, and General Secretariat. These interpretations are not pub-
N, NPT, and NA Certificate Holders, and Metallic lished. Interpretation Requests may cause the Working
Material Manufacturers) are defined. Design Specifica- Group to establish a Modification Request. In this case
tions and Design Reports must be certified by Profes- the corresponding procedure is followed. The Modifica-
sional Engineers qualified in accordance with the re- tion Requests are analyzed by the Working Group and
quirements of the ANSI/ASME Standard N 626.3-1979, the decision is submitted to the RCC-M Subcommittee.
but no Design Inspection is specified contrary to the In the case of approval, a Modification Sheet is estab-
French practice. An Inspector belongs to an “Authorized lished and issued by AFCEN. The periodical addenda
242 G. Baylac, J.M. Grandemonge / The French code RCC-M

to the RCC-M are constituted by the set of modifica- working with either of these Codes could find the
tion sheets issued since the latest updating. correspondence between them with a minimum of con-
fusion. The structures are analogous in that the same
2.5. General Correspondence of the RCC-M and the
numbering system is used for the chapters and para-
ASME Code - Section III
graphs, and the same reference principles are used.
In compiling the RCC-M, an analogy was de- The symbols that characterize the various Sections
liberately created between its structure and that of the and Subsections, however, are different. Fig. 1, hereafter,
ASME Code - Section III - Division 1, so that persons shows their correspondence.

RCC-M SYMBOL ASME CODE SYMBOL

SECTION I SECTION III - Division 1

SUBSECTION A : General, with A SUBSECI’ION NCA - General requirements NCA

addition of French Regulations for Division 1 and Division 2

SUBSECTION B : Class 1 components B SUBSECTION NB - Class 1 components NB

SUBSECTION C : Class 2 components C SUBSE(YION NC - Class 2 components NC

SUBSECTION D : Class 3 components D SUBSECTION ND - Class 3 components ND

I I
SUBSECTION E : Small components E NO CORRESPONDENCE. SOME
REQUIREMENTS INCLUDED IN
ART. 2000 OF NB. NC and ND

SUBSECTION G : Core support stnxtwes I G ISUBSEaION NG - Core support structures 1 NG 1

SUBSECTION H : Supports I H ISUBSECTION NF - Component supports 1 A -1
SUBSECTION J : Low pressure or J NO CORRESPONDENCE. SOME
atmospheric storage tanks REQUIREMENTS INCLUDED IN
SUBART. 3800 and 3900 OF NC, and ND

SUBSWJTION Z : Technical appendices Z SECTION III - APPENDICES

I I I I
SECTION II : Materials M SECTION II -Material specifications SA
I I I I

SECTION III : Examination methods T

MC SECTION V - Nondestnctive examination

S SECTION IX - Welding and brazing

SECTION IV : Welding WQ
qualifications

NO CORRESPONDENCE. SOME
SEmION V : Fabrication
REQUIREMENTS INCLUDED IN
ART. 4000 OF NB, NC, and ND

Fig. 1. General correspondence of the RCC-M and the ASME code.

 G. Baylac, J.M. Grandemange / The French code RCC-M 243

3. Section by section description of the RCC-M the documents drawn up in application of the latter
The Inspector may or may not be a member of the
The purpose of the second part of this report is to Manufacturer’s or Supplier’s staff,
demonstrate that the RCC-M is a self-contained set of - the Surveillance Agent is a person not subordinated
rules for the design and construction of mechanical to the Manufacturer or Supplier concerned, commis-
components of French PWR nuclear islands. sioned by the Prime Contractor or the Contractor to
ensure that the equipment is constructed and inspec-
ted in compliance with the documents attached to the
4. Section I. Nuclear island components orders placed with the Manufacturer or the Supplier,
with the RCC-M and with the documents drawn up
The general method for using the RCC-M is to apply in application of the latter.
the rules and technical requirements of Section II Chapter A 2000 also indicates the rules for handling
through V, as referenced in Section I. Therefore the non-conformances. These rules, summarized in fig. 2,
Subsections of Section I constitute the key and the have no equivalent in the ASME Code.
guide to using the RCC-M.
4.4. Chapter A 3000: Documents
4.1. Subsection A - Introduction to the RCC-M
This chapter recapitulates those documents that must
This Subsection gives the basic information needed be established during the various phases of work to
for using the RCC-M. comply with the RCC-M requirements. In particular, it
describes the scope, contents, and use of the Quality
4.2. Chapter A 1000: Structure of the RCC-M Plan. This document, not required by the ASME Code,
provides a list of the procurement, manufacturing, ex-
This chapter gives the general contents of the RCC-M amination, and testing operations for a given manufac-
and a list of Standards and applicable editions. About ture, in chronological order. For each operation, refer-
200 Standards are listed in all, 90% of them being ence is made to the applicable reference documents,
AFNOR (French) Standards. required reports, and inspection and witnessing require-
ments. The Quality Plan is completed during manufac-
4.3. Chapter A 2000: General Provisions turing and includes examination report numbers the
names and signatures of Inspectors and the dates of
This chapter gives the definition of the different inspection; reference to welding repair files, if applica-
parties concerned and their duties, i.e.: ble; and reference to non-conformance or deviation
_ the Prime Contractor is an individual and legal entity reports, if applicable. The Quality Plan, thus filled out,
responsible for the overall design and monitoring of represents the table of contents of the End-of-Manufac-
the construction of the nuclear island structures, per- turing Report. When this report has been completed,
formed on behalf of the Owner, the Manufacturer provides an End-of-Manufacturing
_ the Contractor is an individual and legal entity re- Certificate, to attest that the component meets the
sponsible for the design and construction of all or requirements specified in the purchase order.
part of the nuclear island (e.g. the nuclear steam
supply system), 4.5. Chapter A 4000: Components Subject to the RCC-M
_ the Manufacturer or Subcontractor is an individual and Classes of Components
and legal entity responsible for the in-factory or
on-site construction of a component or a part of a The mechanical components presently subject to the
component of the nuclear island, or the provision of requirements of the RCC-M are:
certain services, - the pressure-retaining components (pressure vessels,
_ the Supplier is an individual and legal entity respon- heat exchangers, pumps, valves, piping),
sible for the fabrication of products or parts on _ the supports for these components,
behalf of the Contractor or a Manufacturer, - the reactor internals.
_ the Inspector is a person responsible to a Manufac- For pressure-retaining components, paragraph A 4200
turer or Supplier for the checking of compliance with indicates a three-level classification. It also identifies the
the documents attached to the order received by the small components, within the overall classification of
Manufacturer or Supplier, with the RCC-M and with pressure-retaining components. This small component
244 G. Buylac, J.M. Grandemangr / The French code RCC-M

Xeviations from the Manufacturer’s Non-conformance to requirements

ients are not specified in documents

attached to the nurchase order for purchase order for the component
the componenior in the RCC-M or in the RCC-M
I I

-1
iole responsibility of Manufacturer

1
NON-CONFORMANCE TO
IHE TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS NON-CONFORMANCE TO RCC-h
ATTACHED
TO THE PURCHASE ORDER
(Other than the RCC-M)

The action to be taken when a non-

If the Manufacturer considers that
the component may be used as is,
he may propose that the purchaser
accept the component
conformance occurs that cannot be
remedied does not fall within the
scope of this Code, but shall be
defined within the contractual frame-
work designating the parties involved

RECORDED IN WRITING RECORDED IN WRITING

ON A DEVIATION REPORT ON A DEVIATION REPORT

Fig. 2. Handling non-conformances (RCC-M paragraphs A 2400, A 2500, and A 2600).

category, which is also differentiated in the ASME System Design” (RCC-P, 1987). RCC-M classes 1, 2
Code, results from different technical approaches to the and 3 correspond to safety classes 1, 2 and 3.
production conditions. Small components are covered _ in addition, the operating conditions of the component.
in Subsection E of the RCC-M. When the component’s design pressure or tempera-
The classification of pressure-retaining components ture exceed specified values, or when components are
takes into consideration: subjected to cyclic loading, the component’s RCC-M
_ the component’s safety function. Each pressure-retain- class is upgraded, as shown in fig. 3.
ing component is assigned to a safety class by apply- This upgrading aims at increasing plant reliability. It is
ing the RCC-P, “Design and Construction Rules for a specific feature of the RCC-M.
 G. Baylac, J.M. Grandemange / The French code RCC-M 245

PRESSURE-RETAINING COMPONENTS

RCC-P RCC-M
AFETY CLASS CLASSIFICATIOh

CLASS 1:
CLASS 1 - SECTION I,
Secondary side of D SUBSECTION B
main primary system
steam generators
CLASS 2 :
CLASS 2 L’ SECTION I,
SUBSECTION C

-) cohz?%&Ts :
-_) SUBSECTION E
P>50barorT>250°C, _
or cyclic loading
CLASS 3 :
CLASS 3 ) SECTION I,
SUBSECTION D
i
- P>50barorT>250°C, 1
or cyclic loading

‘JON-SAFB’IY
RELATED = P>20barorT> 110°C RCC-M SCOPE

Low -pressure and atmospheric storage tanks

Fig. 3. Classification of mechanical components.

4.6. Chapter A 5000: Quality Assurance notifying each Manufacturer of the applicable QA re-
quirements and for verifying that these requirements are
This chapter sets out the responsibilities of the Con- met.
tractor and the Manufacturer and gives a set of general
requirements based on the Code of Practice No. 50-C-
4.7. Subsection B - Class 1 Components
QA published by the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) which has been adapted or supple-
mented where deemed necessary (Code of Practice 50- Subsection B of Section I presents the design and
C-QA, 1978). construction rules for the Class 1 mechanical compo-
The Contractor is responsible for implementing a nents of PWR nuclear islands. It is organized in a way
Quality Assurance (QA) Program, in accordance with very similar to the ASME Code - Section III - Subsec-
this chapter, for all activities related to the quality of tion NB.
components subject to the RCC-M. He is reponsible for The main part of Subsection B is devoted to design.
246 G. Bayk, J.M. Grundemmge / The French code RCC-M

As far as design is concerned, the two Codes aim at assurance point of view. The equipment-identification
preventing the same failure modes: system presented provides a means of associating an
_ excessive distorsion, equipment part or weld joint to a given set of docu-
~ elastic or plastic instability, ments. The identification paragraph presents in detail
- progressive deformation, the required labels and marks for equipment and welds.
- fatigue cracking.
- fast fracture.
The RCC-M gives precise rules for fatigue analysis. 4.9. Chapter B 2000: Materials
In addition, a method is provided for the fatigue analy-
sis of zones with geometrical discontinuities. The ASME This chapter identifies the requirements for the selec-
Code just suggests a traditional fatigue analysis with a tion and use of materials in manufacturing class 1
fatigue strength reduction factor, the value of which is mechanical components. A table (B 2200) lists the pro-
left to the judgement of the Designer. The RCC-M also curement specifications that must be referenced in
indicates a method for the fatigue analysis of piping, manufacturing these components. This chapter also
mixing simplified methods and finite element calcula- presents the rules to limit susceptibility to intergranular
tions. corrosion of both austenitic and austenitic-ferritic stain-
In the field of protection against fast fracture, the less steels. Finally, it indicates the allowable cobalt
RCC-M retains, in Appendix ZG, the method of ASME content value, with the objective of limiting the radio-
Appendix G but also recommends an alternative method logical activity of the fluid systems.
of analysis. This alternative method, used extensively in
France, is more refined and takes into consideration the
fatigue crack growth of the reference flaw which is 4. IO. Chapter B 3000: Design
defined from considerations on manufacturing and in-
spection. Chapter B 3000 provides design rules for class 1
Appendix ZG also deals with the ductile fracture of mechanical components. Paragraph B 3100 defines first
ferritic steel materials. (reference), second, third and fourth category condi-
As concerns safety margins, the RCC-M differs to tions, and test conditions, and the loadings associated
the ASME Code on the following points: with these conditions. The minimum criteria levels ap-
_ in conformity with the Ministerial Order of February plicable under the various loading conditions are given.
1974, already mentioned, the RCC-M specifies Level Paragraph B 3100 also covers certain special considera-
A service limits for normal operating conditions and tions, such as corrosion, cladding, environmental ef-
current incidents. Therefore, the Level B service limits fects, and attachments.
of the ASME Code do not exist in the RCC-M for Paragraphs B 3200 through B 3600 contain the pro-
class 1 components as the latter does not allow the visions to be complied with in the design of various
design pressure to be exceeded. components, which are to be used along with any of the
_ Level C service limits are more stringent than in the mandatory appendices (Zl to ZV) that are referenced in
ASME Code. They are 20% above Level A service them. To aid in designing class 1 components, other
limits. design rules and considerations are given in non-
_ in the RCC-M, there is no fatigue rule exemption for mandatory appendices (ZA to ZH).
Class 1 components. Paragraph B 3200 presents the general rules for
_ in the RCC-M, respecting rules for opening rein- analysing component behavior.
forcement does not allow the verification of primary Paragraph B 3300 embodies the special rules applica-
stress criteria to be disregarded. ble to vessel design.
The main features of Subsection B are presented The general rules for pump design are given in
below. paragraphs B 3100 and B 3200, and in appendix Z Il.
The special rules are given in paragraph B 3400.
Paragraph B 3500 provides the rules for valve design.
4.8. Chapter B 1000: Introduction The requirements it gives are destined only to ensure
the integrity of the pressure-retaining boundary of the
Chapter B 1000 defines the scope of the Subsection valves.
and specifies the required documents. It also specifies Paragraph B 3600 encompasses the requirements for
the part-identification requirements, from the quality the acceptance of a class 1 piping-system design.
 G. Baylac, J.M. Grandemange / The French code RCC-M 241

4.11. Chapter B 4000: Manufacturing and associated not less than the maximum pressure attained under
examinations category three conditions.
In the ASME Code, the hydrostatic pressure of
This chapter deals with both factory and on-site systems is lower and depends on the lowest design
manufacture and examination of materials to be used in pressure of any component in the system.
the construction and installation of class 1 components.
To the greatest extent possible, this material is pres- 4.13. Subsections C and D - Class 2 and 3 components
ented in the same chronological order as is followed in
the actual manufacturing process. The four main sub- Subsections C and D are organized in the same way
jects of Chapter B 4000 are: as Subsection B. Recent developments have been intro-
- Preliminary documents and requirements for manu- duced. These concern:
facturing and examination - rules for Class 2 and 3 valves,
- Manufacture - rules for pressure design of pump casings (Heng,
- Welding Grandemange, and Morel, 1987).
- Manufacture of parts not subject to pressure.
4.14. Subsection E - SmaN Components
4.12. Chapter B 5000: Hydrostatic tests and trials (Non-
statutory tests) of class 1 components Subsection E contains provisions applicable to “small
components”, as defined in A 4000 of Subsection A.
Chapter B 5000 specifies the requirements for indi- Small components include certain class 2 and 3 pres-
vidual testing and final testing of the Main Primary sure-retaining components, as follows:
- vessels with an internal volume of 100 liters or less,
System. These requirements include the pre-test condi-
tions, test pressures, preparatory documents, test proce- - heat exchangers for which the capacity of each of the
dures, acceptance criteria, and test documents. Special two sides is 100 liters or less,
requirements for valves are also given. - pumps with a driving power of 160 kW or less,
Other tests covered by this chapter are leak-tightness - piping, in particular For the motor pump units,
tests and static-pressure-testing of valves. - instrumentation piping upstream the first shutoff
In the RCC-M, hydrostatic test pressure for individ- valve.
ual tests of class 1 components is not less than the Subsection E has the same general organization as Sub-
design pressure x k where k = k, x k, and: sections B, C and D, except for Chapter E 5000: Quali-
k, = 1.25 for a component made from formed plate or fication of Pumps and Acceptance Tests.
forged parts.
k, = 1.5 for a component wholly or partly made from 4.15. Subsection G - Reactor internals
cast parts.
k, = the ratio of the minimum guaranteed values for Subsection G contains provisions applicable to reac-
yield strength or tensile strength at the test temper- tor internals. Reactor internals are not pressure-retain-
ature to the design temperature for the main ing components. They are classified in A 4000 and G
material of which the wall of the component con- 1000 into two categories, in the same manner as in
sists. If the ratio of the yield strengths is not used Subsection NG of the ASME Code:
then a value equal to at least the ratio of the tensile - Core support structures (CS)
strengths must be used. - Internal structures (IS).
Maximum limits for k = k, x k,: Subsection G applies to core support structures in
k remains = 1.5 if k, = 1.25 and k, x k, > 1.5, their entirety. Internal structures are covered if specifi-
k remains = 1.8 if k, = 1.5 and k, x k, > 1.8. cally referred to in Subsection G. This Subsection has
The test pressure for the Main Primary System which the same organization as Subsections B, C, and D.
consists of all the components installed and mounted in Chapter G 2000 sets forth the conditions For the
their definitive location, is equal to at least: 1.25 x the selection and use of materials in the manufacture of
highest design pressure for any given Main Primary reactor internals (CS and IS). For the selection process,
System component. Table G 2000 lists the procurement specifications. Class
The Main Primary System hydrostatic test must en- 1 criteria are applied For the acceptance of materials For
sure that these components are subjected to a pressure core support structures. This chapter presents the rules
248 G. Baylac, J.M. Grandmange / The French code RCC-M

by which account is taken of intergranular corrosion of List of technical appendices:

both austenitic and austenitic-ferritic stainless steels. It
(1) Mandatory
also contains limits on cobalt content; two cases are
Appendix ZI: Properties of Materials to be used in
defined:
_ parts covered by specific procurement Design
specifications
Appendix ZII: Experimental Stress Analysis
In this case cobalt content is specified in the procure-
Appendix ZIII: Determination of Allowable Basic
ment specifications,
_ for other component Stress Limits
parts, the limit on cobalt con-
Appendix ZIV: Design Rules for Components Sub -
tent depends on the location of the part in relation to
jetted to External Pressure
the fuel.
Appendix ZV: Design of Circular Bolted Flange
Connections
4.16. Subsection H - Supports Appendix ZVI: Design Rules for Linear Type Sup -
ports
Subsection H contains provisions applicable to the (2) Non-mandatory
supports of pressure components subject to the rules of Appendix ZA: Rules for Determining Rein -
the RCC-M. It has the same general organization as forcements of Openings in Class 1
Subsections B, C, and D, except for Chapter H 5000: Vessels
Standard Supports and Standard Support Members. Appendix ZD: Analysis of the Fatigue Behavior of
Subsection H also includes an appendix, Hl, dealing zones with Geometric Discontinuities
with less severe acceptance of filler materials and weld- Appendix ZE: Other Rules Acceptable for Analyz-
ing qualifications than in the Section IV devoted to ing Class 1 Piping Under Conditions
welding. Requiring Compliance with Level A
Criteria
Appendix ZF: Rules Associated with Level D
4. I7. Subsection Z - Technical appendices
Criteria
Appendix ZG: Fast Fracture Resistance
Subsection Z groups together all of the technical Appendix ZH: Acceptable Rules for Determining
appendices referenced in the design chapters, for easy Usage Factor.
reference. This collection of technical appendices is
similar to the collection of appendices to Section I of Recent developments have been introduced in Appen-
the ASME Code, both in form and in intent. Informa- dix Z IV: Design Rules for Components Subjected to
tion contained in these appendices is necessary for External Load (Heng, Grandemange, and Morel, 1987)
design, in the case of the mandatory appendices, or is The 1988 Edition of the RCC-M includes Appendix ZS
optional, in the case of the non-mandatory appendices. relating to “Construction Requirements Linked to In-
Appendices identified by a letter and Roman numeral Service Inspections (for Mechanical Components of
combination (ZI, ZII, ZIII, ZIV, ZV, and ZVI) contain PWR Power Plant Nuclear Islands)“.
material that is mandatory when mentioned in the des-
ign chapters. Appendices that are identified by a two-
letter combination (ZA, ZB, etc.) are non-mandatory. 5. Section II - Materials
To comply with the requirements of a design chapter,
instead of the solutions proposed by the non-mandatory This section of the RCC-M contains the materials
appendices, the Manufacturer may propose an original specifications to be used in manufacturing the compo-
solution, but the proposed original solution must be nents regulated by these design and construction rules.
demonstrated to be equivalent to the methods given in Section II is divided into two main parts: general provi-
the non-mandatory appendices. Furthermore, the Prime sions and procurement specifications.
Contractor must agree to the use of the original solution The ASME Code specifies minimum requirements
proposed. The non-mandatory appendices deal with for manufacture, chemical composition and mechanical
technical subjects that are still in the developmental properties. Non-mandatory requirements which do not
stage. The solution proposed by the Manufacturer may, apply according to the ASME Code, unless specified by
therefore, apply more-recently developed techniques the customer, are contained in the RCC-M, such as:
than those presented in the non-mandatory appendices. - vacuum treatment,
 G. Baylac, J.M. Grandemange / The French code RCC-M 249

- restricted concentration of residual elements, closely than required by current ASME specifications
- extra-chemical analysis, (Maurer, and Deckers, 1983; Lidbury, and Morland,
- limiting susceptibility to intergranular corrosion, 1987).
- mechanical testing, The number of mandatory mechanical tests is also
- ultrasonic examination.. . greater in the RCC-M. For instance for the forged ring
It has been shown that mechanical properties, can be of the reactor pressure vessel located in the beltline
improved and the formation of fabrication defects be region, the RCC-M specifies 48 Charpy V impact tests
reduced by controlling chemical composition more (144 specimens).

M2119 A

;--.- M2126A-M2128

M2119 A

-1M 2126 -M 2126 Al

,M 3203
BOXEDLN NUMBERS
INDICATE PARTS FOR
WHICH PART
PROCUREMENT
SPECIFICATIONS EXIST

OTHER NUMBERS
INDICATE APPLICABLE
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

M 4103-

M 3306 - M 3! .-b24llA-; 2412 -M 5140

Fig. 4. Application of RCC-M product and part procurement specifications to the steam generator, the numbers referring to the
applicable RCC-M paragraphs.
250 G. Baylac, J.M. Grandemange / The French code RCC-M

5. I. General provisions The part procurement specifications concern parts to

which particular attention must be paid, from a metal-
Chapters M 100, M 200, and M 300 cover the lurgical point of view. For those components that have
general provisions applicable to: part procurement specifications, the specifications must
_ steels and alloys, and be used in the procurement process. The detailed
- parts and products. manufacturing program and the Supplier’s workshop
Chapter M 100 contains general requirements to be must be qualified in accordance with the rules in para-
followed for the procurement of all the materials covered graph M 140 Examples of parts covered by part pro-
by the RCC-M. In particular, paragraph M 140 covers curement specifications include:
the product and shop-qualification provisions applica- _ the reactor shells in the beltline region
ble to: - the core support plate of the reactor internals
- parts or products concerned by a part procurement _ the reactor internals hold-down spring.
specification _ the steam generator tubes
- parts of the class 1 components listed in M 140. _ the steam generator channel head
These chapters form a basis of technical requirements _ the cast carbon steel isolation valve bodies
for the introduction in the RCC-M of new materials Application of the RCC-M product and part procure-
and part specifications. ment specifications to the steam generator is illustrated
in fig. 4.
5.2. Procurement

Chapters M 1000 through M 6OClOcontain the speci- 6. Section III - Examination methods
fications and requirements for procurement of a part or
product. Section III deals with the application of destructive
The 2000, “Materials”, chapters of the Subsections and non-destructive testing methods for examining
of Section I, which may be supplemented by the re- materials or components during or after their manufac-
quirements given in the Fzquipement Specification, ture.
specify whether a part procurement specification is ap- In the area of non-destructive examination, the
plicable or whether only the general provisions apply. RCC-M gives great importance to ultrasonic examina-
The set of technical reference specifications for the tion, whereas most of volumetric examination called for
procurement of parts or products constitutes the major in the ASME Code is by radiography. With greater wall
part of Section II. These specifications all follow the thickness of nuclear components, ultrasonic testing was
same general plan: introduced for the base material, while for weld seams
0 Scope radiography is required (Maurer, and Deckers, 1983).
1 Melting process Destructive tests are described in Chapter MC 1000.
2 Chemical requirements and composition checks, as This chapter brings precisions for the application of
determined by ladle and product analyses standard test methods, such as tensile tests, impact
3 Manufacture, including forging, rolling, ingot, and tests, drop weight tests, special toughness tests for the
treatment requirements heat-affected zone of welds, bending tests, flaring and
4 Mechanical properties flattening tests for pipes.. . Intergranular corrosion tests
5 Surface examination and surface defects of austenitic stainless 18-10 chromium-nickel steels are
6 Volumetric examination completely described in MC 1310.
7 Dimensional checks The rest of the section is devoted to non-destructive
8 Marking examination methods. Of these, ultrasonic and radio-
9 Cleanliness, packaging, and transportation graphic examinations are the most complex and widely
10 Test reports. used; these methods are presented in the greatest detail.
The technical reference specifications are divided into In addition to general requirements, special require-
two major groups part procurement specifications and ments for specific products are also given.
product procurement specifications. This is one of the For ultrasonic examination, specific requirements are
major differences between French practice, and Ameri- developed in six paragraphs:
can practice as embodied in the ASME Code Section II. MC 2200 Examination of castings
In US practice, only product procurement specifications MC 2300 Examination of forgings, which are classified
are provided. into four types, as a function of their shape,
 G. Baylac, J.M. Grandemange / The French code RCC-M 251

each type having specific examination re- - weld overlay cladding of austenitic-ferritic stainless
quirements steels on carbon and low-alloy steels,
MC 2400 Examination of plates (thickness greater than - weld overlay cladding of nickel-base alloy on carbon
10 mm) and low-alloy steels,
MC 2500 Examination of tubes - new welding processes: such as friction welding.
MC 2600 Examination of full-penetration welds (butt
welds and fillet welds) 7.1. Chapter S 1000: General information
MC 2700 Examination of buttering, cladding, and plat-
ing. This chapter presents general information and the
For radiographic examination, specific requirements are relations of the various qualifications included in the
contained in two paragraphs: other chapters of the section. Included in this chapter is
MC 3200 Examination of steel castings a description of the “Welding Data Package”. The
MC 3300 Examination of welds. Welding Data Package is of prime importance in the
In these paragraphs, surface preparation, types of films use of the RCC-M, since it contains all the welding
and exposures to be used, identification of test areas, procedures that are to be applied to the manufacture of
penetrameter positions, and inspection of repaired areas a given component.
are addressed. Relative positions of radiographic films Each Welding Data Package relates to one compo-
and radiation sources are given for several specific nent. Included in the Welding Data Package is:
applications. - an overall or outline drawing of the component, with
In addition, in the RCC-M, the parts subjected to the welded joints identified,
examination, the test areas, the degree of examination _ a test coupon schedule, indicating the test coupon
and the criteria are given, in relation with other sections and welding sequences,
of this Code (Sections I, II, IV). - a catalogue of all joints. For each welded joint, the
The qualification and certification of the non-de- following must be provided or specified:
structive examination personnel are addressed in l a dimensional sketch,
Chapter MC 8000. They are based on COFREND l welding procedure and the welding procedure data
(French Committee for Research in Non-Destructive sheet,
Testing) recommended practices, although no obligation l heat treatments,
is made to resort to this organization for qualifying the 0 qualification test coupons,
personnel. Because of this flexibility, the RCC-M allows - for the entire component, a list of all qualification
Manufacturers abroad to use the personnel certification test coupons and welding procedure data sheets that
systems in force in their own country. establish the areas of qualification.
Chapter S 1000 also sets forth the procedures re-
quired to demonstrate the weldability of materials, and
recommandations concerning weld heat treatments.
7. Section IV - Welding
7.2. Chapter S 2000: Acceptance of filler materials
Section IV of the RCC-M is consecrated to the
welding process. As welding is a key operation in This chapter covers the procurement and acceptance
manufacturing mechanical components, all aspects of of filler materials. It defines standardized acceptance
the welding process are presented. conditions and includes a collection of filler-material
The scope is wider than that of the Section IX of the data sheets. The purpose of the acceptance tests is to
ASME Code which deals only with welding qualifica- establish that the lots of filler materials used are of a
tion. In addition to information about welding qualifi- quality consistent with those that have undergone
cation, Section IV of the RCC-M also includes provi- qualification tests. The requirements of Chapter S 2000
sions regarding filler-material acceptance criteria, tech- enable the Manufacturer to formulate his technical
nical rules for production welds, and their examination. specifications for the procurement of filler materials.
The ASME Code contains some of this material, in
various parts of Sections II, III, and IX. 7.3. Chapter S 3000: Qualification of welding procedures
Our purpose, in the RCC-M, was to provide a single,
homogeneous, and complete text including recent devel- Chapter S 3000 presents the rules for qualifying
opments in the following domains: different welding procedures. For each procedure, the
252 G. Baylac. J.M. Grandemange / The French code RCC-M

chapter defines the main variables, the scope of validity, mechanical equipment of PWR nuclear islands. This
the conditions to be met for making the qualification chapter is divided into the following paragraphs:
coupons, destructive and non-destructive testing, and S 7100 Introduction
acceptance criteria for these tests and procedures. This S 7200 Storage and use of the welding materials
chapter is structured such that the requirements that are S 7300 Preparation and examination of edges and sur-
common to all welding procedures are contained in faces for welding
paragraph S 3100. The rest of the chapter presents those S 7400 Execution of production welds
requirements that apply to specific types of welds and S 7500 Weld-related heat treatments
grades of base metal. S 7600 Repair by welding
S 7700 Non-destructive examinations of production
7.4. Chapter S 4000: qualification of welders and oper- welds
ators S 7800 Destructive testing of production welds: pro-
duction weld test coupons.
The requirements presented in this chapter are based One point of difference between the RCC-M and the
upon AFNOR (French Standard) A 88-110. The Welder ASME Code is that production-weld test coupons (S
qualification must be obtained prior to production 7800) are not required by the ASME Code. This re-
welding. quirement, however, is common practice in Europe,
Paragraph S 4710 indicates qualifications according particularly in France and in Germany. The number of
to other Codes, or granted by Control Organizations coupons to be made are specified in paragraph S 7800.
that can be considered as equivalent to qualifications The tests to be carried out, similar to those performed
according to S 4000. at the time of qualification, are also specified.

7.5. Chapter S 5000: Qualification of filler materials 7.8. Chapter S 8000: Weld-deposited hardfacing on carbon
low-alloy or alloy steels
The contents of Chapter S 5000 concern the qualifi-
cation tests performed on filler materials. These materi- This last chapter of the welding section concerns
als include powdered fluxes, flux-cored wires, and hardfacing by fusion of cobalt-base alloys. Due to the
covered electrodes. The qualification of filler material is specificity of the techniques used, this chapter is au-
divided into two distinct parts, the first relates to the tonomous. It deals with acceptance of filler materials,
Supplier of the material and the second to the Manufac- hardfacing procedure qualification, qualification of
turer who uses the material. welders and welding operators, manufacture, examina-
tion, and criteria.
7.6. Chapter S 6000: Technical qualification of production The importance of hardfacing in the good operation
workshops of PWRs led AFCEN to undertake, in cooperation with
Manufacturers and R & D Organizations, a vast R & D
The purpose of the technical qualification of a pro- program with the two following axes:
duction workshop is to evaluate its capacity and techni- - definition of the conditions necessary for the good
cal resources for performing welding operations. A physical integrity of the hardfacing,
qualification belongs to the Company that performed it. - definition of the conditions necessary for the good
The qualification cannot be transferred from one Com- in-service resistance of hardfacing.
pany to another. Each Company must perform its own At the end of the study, integrating the experience
qualification. Within the same Company, qualifications acquired with 5 years of application, Chapter S 8000
cannot be transferred from one workshop to another, was extensively revised for the 1985 edition of the
unless the two workshops have the same experience in RCC-M.
the type of welding as the qualification type and the
Manufacturer arranges to ensure the continuity of the
skill and experience following the transfer. 8. Section V - Fabrication

7.7. Chapter S 7000: Production welds Section V of the RCC-M is devoted to manufactur-
ing. Some requirements are included in articles 4000 of
This chapter covers the welding operations per- the NB, NC, and ND Subsections of the ASME Code
formed during the manufacture and erection of the Section III.
 G. Baylac, J.M. Grandemange / The French code RCC-M 253

Section V of the RCC-M includes the minimum Acknowledgement

requirements to be met for various aspects of compo-
nent manufacturing. As these rules are the minimum The authors would like to express their gratitude to
requirements, the Manufacturer must take all additional the colleagues at EDF and Framatome who helped
measures that he considers necessary to ensure the them in the elaboration of this report, to MS Sakai-
quality of his product. Detailed rules are not provided, Elsden for revising the English text and MS Cassant for
because the successful manufacturing of a component the typing.
basically depends upon the knowledge, experience, ca-
pabilities, and facilities of each individual Manufac-
turer. References
Aspects of manufacturing process covered in Section
are: PI Arrett du 10 aofit 1984. Qualite de la Conception, de la
Marking procedure (Chapter F 2000), Construction et de I‘Exploitation des Installations
Cutting, repair without welding (Chapter F 3000), Nucltaires de Base (Quality of Design Construction and
Forming and dimensional tolerances (Chapter F Operation of Basic Nuclear Installations), Journal Officiel
de la Republique Franqaise (September 22, 1984).
4000), This chapter includes in particular require-
121 Air&e du 26 fevrier 1974. Circuit Primaire Principal des
ments for the qualification of forming procedures
Chaudibres Nucl&ires 1 Eau, (Ministerial Order dated
and definition of cases where qualification is re- February 26, 1974 on Main Primary System of Light
quired. It also includes forming tolerances for parts Water Nuclear Boilers), Journal Officiel de la Republique
joined by welding, heat-exchanger tube expanding, Fran@se (March 12, 1984).
and stress relieving of transition zones between ex- 131 Arr&C du 24 mars 1978. Appareils a Pression - Rbgle-
panded and non-expanded portions of tubes. mentation de I’Emploi du Soudage darts la Construction
Surface treatment (Chapter F SOOO), et la Reparation. (Ministerial Order, dated March 24,
Cleanliness (Chapter F 6000), The purpose of the 1978, Pressure vessels - Regulation on the Use of Welding
cleanliness requirements given in this chapter is to in Construction and Repair), Journal Officiel de la
Republique Franqaise (April 30, 1978).
limit the risk of damage caused by particulate matter
[41 ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code - Section III -
carried along in fluid systems. Cleanliness classes are
Division 1, and related Sections with 1986, 1987, and
defined according to the types of system and process 1988, addenda. The American Society of Mechanical En-
fluid contained, and requirements for work areas and gineers, New York.
work zones on construction sites are given. In ad- 151 Code of Practice SO-C-QA, International Atomic Energy
dition, particular provisions are included for corro- Agency, Vienna (1978).
sion prevention, cleaning methods, and preservation 161 CPFC: Cahier des Prescriptions de Fabrication et de
of cleanliness. Controle des Chauditres 1 Eau. Edition 1974 (Register of
Mechanical joints (Chapter F 7000), Prescriptions for the Fabrication and Control of Light
Heat treatment (parts and components) (Chapter F Water Boiler Components, 1974 edition) EDF document.
8000). [‘I C. Heng, J.M. Grandemange, A. Morel, RCC-M (Rules
for Design and Construction of Nuclear Components),
Nuclear Engineering and Design 98 (1987) 265-277.
181 D.P.G. Lidbury and E. Morland, Review of fracture
toughness requirements and data relevant to LWR reactor
pressure vessels, Int. Journal Pressure Vessel and Piping,
9. Conclusion 29 (1987) 343-428.
[91 H.A. Maurer and J. Deckers (1983), Comparison of U.S.
and European codes and regulations for the construction
The RCC-M is a complete set of rules for the design of LWR pressure components, Transactions of SMIRT-7,
and construction of mechanical components of PWR Vol. G, 13-20 (1983).
nuclear islands. Its general technical objectives and [W RCC-M: Regles de Conception et de Construction des
Materiels Mecaniques des Ilots Nucltaires PWR, Edition
scope are similar to those of the ASME Code Section
1988, or in English: Design and Construction Rules for
III - Division 1, and related Sections.
Mechanical Components of PWR Nuclear Islands, 1988
The emphasis placed in the RCC-M on technical edition, AFCEN, Paris, distributed by AFNOR.
aspects allows its adaptation to new or other techniques [ll] RCC-P: Regles de Conception et de Constructions Appli-
and practices, and its use in countries with different cables aux Proc&Its des Centrales Nucleaires a Eau Leg&e
administrative and/or regulatory systems. sous Pression de 900 MWe, revision 3, janvier 1984 avec
254 G. Baylac, J.M. Grandemonge / The French code RCC-M

feuilles de modification jusqu’en 1987 or in English: De- (1981) (Fondamental Safety Rule No. V.2.c. Rules appli-
sign and Construction Rules for System Design of 900 cable to the Construction of Mechanical Components,
MWe PWR Nuclear Power Plants, Revision 3, January 1981) Ministry of Industry, revision 1 (June 12, 1986).
1984, with modification sheets up to June 1987, EDF and [13] A. Thomas and J.M. Grandemange, French codes and
Framatome, Paris. standards on boiler and pressure vessel technology, in:
1121 Regle Fondamentale de Sfirett No. V.2.c. Rtgles GCnCrales R.W. Nichols (Ed.), Pressure Vessel Codes and Standards
Apphcables a la Realisation des Materiels Mkaniques (1987) 175-220.