Abstract: Small specimen test technology is widely used to characterize mechanical property of irradiated reactor material, due to the limit space of irradiation channel, the reduction of material radioactivity and the improvement of irradiation parameter accuracy. In this paper, the research status of small specimen test on the mechanical properties of tensile, impact, fracture toughness, fatigue, creep and small punch was reviewed, the key effect factors and data standardization methods were summarized, the problems of small specimen test technology were analyzed, and the development of small specimen technology was prospected, with the aim to provide reference for further standardization of small specimen test technology and test data and the development of engineering application.