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Outline of the JSME (Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers) Rules on Design

and Construction for Nuclear Power Plants

Conference Paper · January 2004

DOI: 10.1115/PVP2004-2690

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OUTLINE OF THE JSME (JAPAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS) RULES ON DESIGN
AND CONSTRUCTION FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS.
Itaru Saito
Nuclear Plant Component Designing Department
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Kobe, JAPAN
ABSTRACT
The JSME (Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers)
published the rules on design and construction for nuclear power
plants in 2001. The basic concept of this rule originates in the
ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code Section III, however,
some articles in the JSME rules are modified from the ASME
rules depending on the Japanese own investigations and
thoughts. This paper presents the outline of the JSME rules
and discussed the comparison between the JSME rules and the
ASME rules.
In Japan, rules for the design and construction for nuclear
power plants had been used in the Japanese regulatory standards
known as Notification 501 of MITI (Ministry of international
Trade and Industry) for over 30 years. And the JSME code is
also based on the Notification 501. Recently the Japanese
regulatory authority had announced new policy to adapt non-
government voluntary rules for the design and construction
taking advantage of reflecting new technology and the code
revision quickly. And, in November 2003, the new JSME rules
are endorsed by the Japanese regulatory authorities as alternate
rules of the Notification 501.
1. INTRODUCTION
In Japan, rules on the design and construction for nuclear
power plant components had been the Japanese regulatory
standards known as Notification 501 of MITI (Ministry of
international Trade and Industry) for over 30 years.
However, recently the Japanese regulatory authority had
announced new policy to adopt non-governmental voluntary
rules for the design and construction taking advantage of
reflecting new technology and the code revision quickly. As
non-governmental voluntary rules, the JSME (Japan Society of
Mechanical Engineers) published the rules on design and
construction for nuclear power plants by the request of the
industries. The basic concept of this rule originates in the ASME
Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code Section III, however, many
Proceedings of Insert Conference Abbreviation:
Insert Conference Name
Insert Conference Date and Location
Put Paper Number Here
Takashi Shimakawa
Research & Development Department
Plant & Infrastructure Engineering Company
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Kobe, JAPAN
articles in the JSME rules are modified from the ASME Code.
This paper presents the outline of the JSME rules and discussed
the comparison between the JSME and the ASME rules.
2. CHRONOLOGY OF JAPANESE CODE &
STANDARDS FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
The chronology of the Code & Standards for Nuclear Power
Plant in Japan is as follows.
1) At the end of 1960’s in Japan, demand for the Nuclear
Power Energy was rapidly increased. And then, the MITI
(Ministry of international Trade and Industry) had issued the
regulatory criteria for the design and construction of nuclear
power plant in 1970. This regulatory criteria was simple and
only focused on vessels and piping design, which originated in
the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, 1963
Edition and American National Standards Institute(ANSI),
B31.1, Power Piping.
2) On the further increasing the demand of nuclear power,
the government supporting with the industries had started to
establish the detailed regulation criteria for nuclear power plant
components in 1974. After detailed and minute investigation
were performed , MITI issued the regulatory criteria for the
design and construction of nuclear power plant on October in
1980, which is named as MITI Notification 501, and based on
ASME Code Sec. III, 1974 Edition (Partially 1977 Edition)
According to the revisions of the ASME Code Sec. III and
the other regulatory related the nuclear power, the MITI
Notification 501 was partially modified but the modified
provisions were restricted and not so timely reflected the
industry’s requests.
3) In Japan, the Rules for In-Service Inspection such as
ASME Sec. XI was not established for a long time to allow the
using the component with minor wastage or crack after
operation. And, the Design and Construction code of
Notification 501 was deemed the rules of In-Service Inspection
to maintain the structural integrities after operation. That means,
1 Copyright © #### by ASME
for example, the minimum wall thickness in design stage have
to keep even after operation, and if not keeping the minimum
thickness, repair or replacement is required, which is obviously
too much conservative.
4) At the end of 1990’s, in order to respond to the cost
reduction request in nuclear power plant to compete with the
other power sources such as fossil power plant, the nuclear
industries strongly requested that the governmental code should
be changed and specified the performance requirements and
references the voluntary standards that contain the detailed
provisions to be used to comply with the regulatory
requirements. Then, the activities for regulation simplification
program was started and the EUIL (Electricity Utility Industry
Law) was revised in 1997 to change a system of the technical
standards for the non-nuclear power plant at first. In response to
this change, many organizations have started to develop the
voluntary standards for non-nuclear power plant. Following in
this circumstance, the activities to develop the voluntary
standards for nuclear power plants have started and the JSME
(Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers) had started to establish
the voluntary code and standards for nuclear power plant
components.
5) The JSME organized the “Main Committee” for the
Code & Standards in October 1997 and under the Main
Committee, “Subcommittee on nuclear power plants” is
organized in November 1997. And, in 1998, “Subgroup on
Design and Construction” is organized.
The Subgroup on Maintenance is also organized to establish
the Rules for In-Service Inspection.
6) The JSME published the “ Rules on Fitness-for-
Service for Nuclear Power Plans” in May 2000, and the
“ Rules on Design and Construction for Nuclear Power
Plants” in August 2001. And also “Rules on Fitness-for-
Service for Nuclear Power Plans” was revised and issued in
October 2002.
7) The Japanese government had reviewed details of the
above mentioned JSME voluntary rules and, in November 2003,
it is announced that JSME “Design and Construction Rules” are
referenced as the voluntary code which is equivalent to the
Notification 501. And also “Fitness-for-Service Rules” are
approved by the government. At present (January 2004), the
Notification 501 is still existing and effective and the JSME
Rules are in the situation as alternative rules for option.
However, the Notification 501 is scheduled to expire within
2004 and the JSME Rules will be the only rules in detail for
nuclear power plant design and construction in Japan.
8) After issued the first edition of the Design and
Construction Rules, the JSME has worked to improve and
enhance the provision and scheduled to issue the revised edition
in 2004.
3. PHILOSOPHY AND THE ORGANIZATION OF JSME
CODE COMMITTEE
The philosophy and the Organization of JSME Code
Committee are discussed below.
3.1 The Philosophy
1) For the voluntary standards, both the committee and the
entities who organize the committee must meet several
2 Copyright © #### by ASME
conditions in order that standards should be qualified to be
used for the regulation.
There are;
(a) the entity is to be fair ,neutral and open to the public,
(b) the entity has the distinguished professional ability,
(c) the committee must do the business in accordance with
the due process specified by the open bylaws,
(d) the activities of the committee are open to the public, and
(e) the committee is composed of the members from the
balanced interested parties.
In return, the voluntary standards will bring the various
merits such as the followings;
(a) the technical standards can be quickly revised,
(b) harmonization with the foreign standards will be made to
remove the barrier to trade,
(c) alternate design can be easily applied, and
(d) engineering judgment are more regarded.
Based on these conditions, the JSME is one of the most
advantageous entities that develop and publish the voluntary
standards in Japan.
The JSME is founded in 1897 and has been largely
contributed to the industries from the view point of
academia. And the committees for the Code and Standards
are organized in JSME under the condition of three principle
Philosophies of “Neutral”, ”Fairness” and “Open” to the
public.
(a) one of the typical example of ”neutral” is that the
committee is composed of the members from the balanced
interested parties, such as material benders, plant
manufacturers, utilities, institutes and so on, preventing from
inclining the special merit for a special party. Also, the
government person is one of the members in JSME code
committee and may express his or her opinions from the
administrative point of view.
(b) One of the typical examples of “Fairness” is that the
committee is run by written bylaws, and the letter ballot
voting system is applied to make sure the member’s
responsibility and not to neglect the minor opinions.
(c) One of the typical examples of “Open” is that the
meeting is open to the public and observer is allowed to
attend under the chairman’s permission. Also the meeting
schedules and minutes of the committee are open to the
public through the web site. And the final draft of the revised
code is open to the public for review and comment for four
weeks.
3.2 Organization of JSME Code Committee
The organization of the JSME Code committee is shown
in Figure 3.1. The original draft of the Design and
Construction rule is usually prepared by the specific working
group and discussed at the Subgroup on Design. After that,
the draft code is discussed and approved by Subcommittee
and the Main Committee. In that process, letter ballot are
applied for the Subcommittee and the Main Committee. And
finally, the code draft is open to the public for review and
comment. Then clear up the comments and through the
JSME administrative process, the revised code is published.
The working groups which prepare the draft code are
composed of groups on Vessels, Piping, Pump, Valve,
Component Supports and Core Supports Structure for each
specific component, and group on Non-Destructive
 Examination (NDE) for general requirements for NDE. The
general and common items among the components are
principally treated by the working group on Vessel.
4. OUTLINE OF JSME DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
RULES
4.1 Structure of JSME Design and Construction Rules
1) The structure of JSME Design and Construction Rules
is shown in Figure 4.1, which consists of the chapter
1”General”, the chapter 2 “Mechanical Test”, the chapter
3 “Non-Destructive Examination”, the chapter 4 through
9 of Vessel, Piping, Pump, Valve, Component Supports,
Core Support Structure, and the chapter 10 “Safety Valve”,
the chapter 11 “Pressure Test” and the chapter 12
“Surveillance Test”. Tables of the allowable stress and
material properties, and Figures for the fatigue evaluation
and the external pressure evaluation charts are attached to
the end part of the Rules.
2) In addition to the Rules themselves, the JSME Design
and Construction Rule Book contains the Background and
Explanation of the Rules. The Background and
Explanation include the typical example to be embodied
the code intension, technical background of equation
defined in the code, referenced paper, sample calculations
and so on. This Background and Explanation is not a part
of the Rules but much helpful and effective for user to
understand the code intension.
4.2 Topics of the Design and Construction Rules
As discussed above, the JSME Rules on Design and
Construction is intended to replace the Notification 501
and to be endorsed by the government in short term. So,
the basic provisions are similar to the Notification 501 but
a little changed in detail. And also, the Notification 501 is
based on the ASME section III, but a little difference from
the ASME Code. Parts of Notification 501 which is
different from the ASME Code are followed by the JSME
Code.
The main topics of the JSME Code, which are different
from the Notification 501 and/or the ASME Code are as
follows.
1) Stress Allowable limit for Level D service:
The stress allowable limits for each Service Limit in the
JSME Codes are shown in Table 4.1. The stress limit for
Level A and Level B are the same as ASME Section III,
but as shown in Table 4.2, for example in Level D, a little
different from ASME Section III. The JSME Code specify
the stress limit of 2/3Su, where Su is the tensile strength
value, for the primary membrane stress (Pm) and the stress
limit of Su for the primary membrane plus primary
bending stress (Pm+Pb) in Level D service limit ,whereas
the ASME Code specify the Pm≦0.7Su and Pm+Pbt≦
1.05Su. The JSME Code limits come from the philosophy
that the primary stress should be limited within Su, so
specify (Pm+Pb)≦Su, then the factor of 1/1.5 is applied to
the limit for Pm and specify Pm≦2/3Su. Actually, it is
not serious problem for using 1.05Su as ASME because
that the actual tensile strength value is generally higher
than the engineering tensile strength value, however the
JSME preferred to keep the philosophy of the primary
3 Copyright © #### by ASME
stress should be limited within Su and modified a little
from the ASME Code.
2) New Ke Factor for Simplified Elastic Plastic
Analysis
On the fatigue analysis, peak stress is calculated and
evaluated, however when the primary plus secondary
stress (P+Q) is over 3Sm, where Sm is design stress
intensity value, and the strain is locally concentrated,
elastic calculation could not express the actual strain. On
the other hand, elastic-plastic analysis may be complicated
and expensive analysis. Therefore the method to evaluate
the local plastic strain by multiplying the adjustment factor
(Ke factor) to the elastic strain calculated by elastic
analysis is specified in ASME and Notification 501, which
is known as simplified elastic-plastic analysis. However it
is recently reported that the method in ASME and
Notification 501 are too much conservative and new Ke
factor is developed by the Thermal and Nuclear Power
Engineering Society (TENPES) in Japan, which reduces
the expanded conservatives but still keeping the
conservatives for the actual structure. The JSME Code
introduced this new Ke factor method. The comparison of
Ke factor in ASME Section III, Notification 501 and
JSME Code are interesting as follows.
i) Ke factor in ASME Section III
The Ke factor in ASME is defined in the article NB-
3228.5 Simplified Elastic-Plastic Analysis and Ke is
calculated as follows.
Ke=1.0 for Sn≦３ Sm (1)
=1.0+{(1-n)/n(m-1)}(Sn/3Sm-1)
for 3Sm＜Sn＜3mSm (2)
=1/n for Sn≧3mSm (3)
where Sn=range of primary plus secondary stress
intensity
m, n= constants for material
Though the above equations are based on the Equation
introduced by Tagart, these are resulted too conservative
value comparing with the plastic analysis results for the
actual nuclear power plant components as shown in Figure
4.2.
ii) Ke501 factor in Notification 501
Ke501 factor in Notification 501 is the same as the
ASME Section III except the region of Sn is close to 3Sm,
where the Ke factor in ASME method is not fully
conservative.
Then, the Notification 501 introduced a new equation
of KeA0 with A0 factor as follows. And the Ke501 factor
is defined as the larger one of Ke or KeA0.
KeA0 =1.0+A0 (Sn/3Sm-Sn/Sp)
for 3Sm＜Sn＜3mSm (4)
Where A0=constant for material
As shown in Figure 4.2, KeA0 is larger than Ke around
the Sn/3Sm=1.0.
iii) New Ke factor in JSME Code
As shown in Figure 4.2, Ke factor defined in ASME
Code is too conservative to the actual nuclear power plant
components. The TENPES in Japan developed a new Ke
factor equation which bounds the Ke factor for actual
components calculated directly from the comparing with
the calculated strains by Elastic-Plastic Analysis and
Elastic Analysis. And the TENPES Guideline followed the
 philosophy of KeA0 equation as the Notification 501. However, it is said that the FBR guideline should be also shifted
The JSME Code involved the TENPES Guideline and new to a voluntary code and this Code largely depends on the
Ke factor (Ke’) is defined as follows. Notification 501 other than the elevated temperature design,
1) Combination of the new Ke (Ke’)and the Ke501. then the rule for FBR is incorporated in the JSME design and
There are two cases, i.e. crossing and not construction rules. The Japanese FBR rules are similar to the
crossing the Ke’-equation and the KeA0-equation. Subsection NH on ASME Section III, but they include unique
In the case that there is no intersection of the Ke’- provisions.
equation and the KeA0-equation, a tangent line from the (2) Design Factor Change from 4.0 to 3.5 for class 2, 3
point of the KeA0-equation at Sn/3Sm = 1 to the Ke’- components
equation shall be drawn. The JSME Code follows the Notification 501,which is based
Ke-factors shall be calculated as follows, where, q, on ASME Section III, 1974 Edition and the Design Allowable
A0 and B0 are defined in Figure 4.2. Stress Value, S value, is used based on 1/4 for Su (tensile
a. K< B0 (in the case of crossing Ke’-eq. and KeA0-eq.) strength values) as the same as the old ASME Section III.
2 However, the JSME is scheduled to change the Design margin
   
 q  o  1   4 Ao q  1
A A
 q  0  1   for S value by 1/4 to 1/3.5 ,which is corresponding to the current
Sn  K   K  ASME Section III design margin.
a) If ＜ ,
3S m 2 Ao (3) Separated book of Material tables and Allowable Stress
 S 1 Table
then Ke＝Ke* ＝ 1  A0  n   (5) The Material Tables and Allowable Stress Tables, which are
 3S m K  attached to the Appendices in the current JSME Code book, are
   
2 scheduled to move to the stand alone material code book,
 q  0  1    q  0  1   4 A0 q  1
A A
Sn  K   K 
similar to the ASME Section II, Part D.
b) If ≧ , (4) New Appendix for Environmental Effect in fatigue
3S m 2 A0
Design
 3S 
then Ke＝Ke’ ＝ 1  q  11  m  (6) It is reported that the fatigue strength at the environmental
 Sn  condition in Light Water Reactor Plant is lower compared to in
air environment, such as TENPES (Thermal and Nuclear
b. K≧B0 (in the case of not crossing Ke’-eq. and KeA0-
Power Engineering Society, in Japan) guideline published in
eq.） June 2002. Since then, new additional test were performed and a
 1 new design curve was proposed. The JSME organized the
q  1  A0  1  q  1
Sn  K Subgroup on Environmental Fatigue and started investigations
a) If ＜ to incorporate a new non-mandatory appendix for environmental
3S m a
fatigue design.
S  1
then Ke＝Ke ** ＝ a  n  A0  1    1  a (7) (5) New Strength Evaluation Method without Stress
3S m  K Classification
 1 New Strength Evaluation Method without Stress
q  1  A0  1  q  1 Classification for Class 1 component was developed by
Sn  K
b) If ≧ TENPES. In this new method, a calculated result of the stresses
3S m a
by FEM (Finite Element Method) is directly treated and
 3S 
then Ke＝Ke’ ＝ 1  q  11  m  (8) evaluated without stress classification. It is intended to
 Sn  incorporate this new method in the code.
where,
6. CONCLUSION
a ＝ A0(1－1/K)＋(q－1)－2 Ao( 1  1 / K )  ( q  1 ) (9) In Japan, rules for the design and construction for nuclear
power plants had been used the Japanese regulatory standards
known as Notification 501 of MITI (Ministry of international
Trade and Industry) for over 30 years. However, recently the
5. NEW DEVELOPING ITEMS Japanese regulatory authority had announced to shift to a
The JSME issued the 2001 edition of the Rules on Design performance based regulation and refer to voluntary rules for the
and Construction for Nuclear Power Plants as above mentioned. design and construction, taking advantage of reflecting new
Since then, the continuous efforts for improving and enhancing technology and the code revision quickly. The JSME (Japan
the code has been performed. The publishing of the next edition Society of Mechanical Engineers) organized the Code and
of the Code is scheduled to the late in 2004 and the Code Standard Committee to publish the new voluntary rules under
addenda are scheduled in 2005 or near future. The new items to the principal philosophy of “Neutral”, ”Fairness” and “Open” to
be incorporated in 2004 Edition and 2005 Addenda or near the public. And the JSME published the “Rules on Design and
future are as follows. Construction for Nuclear Power Plants” in August 2001, which
(1) The Rules on the Design and Construction for Fast was endorsed by government in November 2003. The JSME
Breeder Reactor rules is equivalent to the Notification 501, which is based on the
The current rules for design and construction for Fast Breeder ASME section III. However, the JSME Code has its own
Reactor (FBR) are a government internal tentative guidelines, provisions such as new Ke factor (Simplified Elastic-Plastic
which deal with the elevated temperature design at creep regime. Analysis Method), and also is developing advanced new rules

4 Copyright © #### by ASME

such as the rules of the Fast Breeder Reactor, Environmental
fatigue, new strength evaluation method without stress
classification.
7. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors thank the members of the Code and Standards
Committee of JSME, especially the Subgroup on Design and all
of Working Groups for valuable advice and discussions.
8. REFERENCES
[1] JSME S NC-1-2001, “Codes for Nuclear Power
Generation Facilities –Rules on Design and Construction for
Nuclear Power Plants-“, August 2001,in Japanese.
[2] ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section III
[3] MITI Notification 501, 1980 and 1994, “Technical
Standard for Construction of Nuclear Power plant
Components”, in Japanese.
[4] S. W. Tagart JR. “Plastic Fatigue Analysis of Pressure
components”, ASME 68-PVP-3.
[5] K. IIDA et al., “Safety Margin of the Simplified Elasto
Plastic Fatigue Analysis Method of ASME B and PV code
Section III”, C35/80, ICPV 1980.
[6] Asada, S., Nakamura, T. and Asada, Y. ,”Evaluation of
Conservativism in the Simplified Elastic-Plastic Analysis Using
Analytical Results, -Part 2: Proposal of a New Ke-Function”
Pressure Vessel and Piping Codes and Standards, PVP-Vol.419,
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, pp.33-42,
2001.
5 Copyright © #### by ASME
Table 4.1 Typical Stress Limits for Class1 Vessels in the JSME Design and Construction Code

Table 4.2 Comparison of Typical Stress Limits for Class1 Vessels

between the JSME code and the ASME Code Section III

6 Copyright © #### by ASME

Figure 3.1 Organization of JSME Power Generation Facility Code Committee

Figure 4.1 Structure of JSME Design and Construction Code

7 Copyright © #### by ASME

 Values of q, A0 and Bo

Materials q A0 B0(*1)

Low Alloy Steel 3.1 1.0 1.25

Martensitic Stainless Steel 3.1 1.0 1.25

Carbon Steel 3.1 0.66 2.59

Austenitic Stainless Steel 3.1 0.7 2.15

Nickel-Chromium-Iron 3.1 0.7 2.15

A0 q  1  2 A0 A0 q  1
(*1) B0 
4 A0 q  1  q  12

5.0 K e of ASME Sec. III (Low Alloy)

Skirt

K e of ASME Sec. III

4.0 (Stainless) Canopy Seal

K e with A 0 of MITI Noti. 501
As a sample of
Nozzle
S p /S n =1.5 in Eq.
3.0
Ke

Cyclic(Linear)

2.0
Thermal Sleeve/
Safe End

Ke'(q=3.1)
1.0

0.0
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0
S n /3S m

Figure 4.2 Ke Evaluation Comparison : Combination Ke’-equation & KeA0-equation

8 Copyright © #### by ASME

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