Chapter 4 Implementation Guidance for Material Condition and Aging Management

DOESTD107393

CHAPTER 4

IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE FOR

MATERIAL CONDITION AND AGING MANAGEMENT

This guidance is appropriate for high-hazard facilities expected to operate for an extended period.

Since DOE facilities vary in hazard level and circumstances of operation, a graded approach to

implementation should be adopted.

As shown in Figure 41, Material Condition and Aging Management (MCA) activities are developed and

implemented in three distinct phases: a preliminary phase, a detailed or main phase, and an ongoing

phase. The preliminary MCA phase includes activities necessary to estimate the facility remaining

lifetime and to develop the MCA program plan. The detailed MCA phase builds on the preliminary

estimate of facility remaining lifetime with more rigorous evaluations of aging degradation mechanisms

to determine more precisely the remaining lifetime. The detailed MCA phase also identifies life

extension techniques, if the facility desired lifetime is greater than the remaining lifetime. The ongoing

MCA phase identifies degradation measurements to be performed periodically for life-limiting

components, performs trending analyses on the results of those measurements to predict the end of

life, and implements any necessary life extension techniques. The results of the MCA activities are

reviewed by the design authority to determine whether there are new design requirements that should

be integrated into the ongoing configuration management (CM) program efforts.

4.1 PRELIMINARY MCA PHASE

The preliminary MCA phase has two primary objectives: (1) to develop a preliminary estimate of the

facility remaining lifetime and (2) to develop an appropriate MCA program plan.

4.1.1 COMPONENT SCREENING

Some components are so expensive or difficult to replace that their failure may limit the life of the

facility. The first activity in the preliminary MCA phase is to screen all components associated with the

facility, both active and passive (e.g., structural) components, to identify potentially life-limiting

components. They are to be categorized as mission structures, systems, and components (SSCs) if

they do not warrant a higher category and are to be addressed in the overall CM program.

The first step is to identify all components associated with the facility, both active components and

passive components, including structural components. A typical facility may encompass hundreds,

even thousands, of individual components. To provide reasonable assurance that all facility

components are considered and none are inadvertently overlooked, the preferred approach is to use a

Master Equipment List (MEL) if the facility has one. If not, the best available information should be

used, such as maintenance records, system design descriptions (if they exist), and engineering

drawings.

The next step is a review of these facility components by experienced personnel who have a detailed

knowledge of the facility and who can identify those components whose failure would have a major

cost, safety, or programmatic impact on the facility. This phase of the MCA program excludes

components that can be repaired or replaced. After consideration of several hundred components, a

small number (perhaps a dozen) are likely to emerge as potentially life-limiting for the facility.

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