Research and training programme (Euratom) - High-Temperature Materials -, 1973-1976

The programme was drawn up in accordance with the Council Resolution of the 17 December 1970 concerning the procedures for adopting research and training programmes (Official Journal No L 16 of 20.1.1971).

In view of the rapidly expanding interest in new energy technologies which created a need for better understanding of the behaviour of materials at very high temperatures, this programme of work was agreed by the Council of Ministers in July 1975, being formally effective from the beginning of that year.

The programme was carried out at the Petten Establishment and was defined in the following terms:
- Expert evaluation to assess industry requirements for advanced refractory materials and review of the research and development programmes already in hand in the Member States and elsewhere in the world;
- Basic research as an extension of work already in progress in the JRC, the directions of this research to be reviewed later in the light of priorities emerging from the survey work;
- Applied research centred on industry oriented subjects to be defined in the light of the survey results.

A White Book has been compiled on the present position of the application and technology of high-temperature materials with contributions from acknowledged experts in the field.

A detailed work programme was developed from analysis of the survey results and was discussed by an ad hoc group of experts in June 1976.
To understand the mechanisms governing the high-temperature behaviour of materials in practical applications and to apply the knowledge gained to industrial technology, to provide information to the EEC and to encourage cooperation.
Six fields:

- Effects of operational environments on mechanical properties;

- Study of modes of failure of materials operating at high temperatures in plant or equipment;

- Investigation into the relationship between the structure of materials and their properties together with the study of the fundamental processes involved;

- Testing of materials and components under operating conditions in a large test facility;

- Evaluation of engineering codes and practices for high-temperature materials;

- Software activities.
The Commission, assisted by the board of governors of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), was responsible for the implementation of the programme by means of the services of the JRC (Ispra).