Abstract
The need of interim storage of spent nuclear fuel is increasing in Japan. Concrete cask storage is one of the candidate methods to store spent fuel. The concrete cask storage system uses a cylinder, called a canister, made of stainless steel to confine spent fuel. The canister is subjected to salty environment and should be carefully designed against external stress corrosion cracking (ESCC). Examples of ESCC of stainless steel are described, including time to failure, effect of repetition of dry and wet environments. More research is proposed to ensure the long-term containment function of the canister made of new materials.
