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Structural integrity of hydrided nuclear fuel cladding

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2012

Jesús Ruiz-Hervías
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, UPM, E.T.S.I. Caminos, Canales y Puertos. Profesor Aranguren s/n, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
F. Javier Gomez
Affiliation:
Advanced Material Simulation, S.L. Isabel Collbrand, 6. E-28050 Madrid, Spain
Miguel A. Martín-Rengel
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciencia de Materiales, UPM, E.T.S.I. Caminos, Canales y Puertos. Profesor Aranguren s/n, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
Elena Torres
Affiliation:
Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (CSN). Justo Dorado 11, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
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Abstract

The structural integrity of nuclear fuel cladding is affected by the precipitation of hydrides during operation, which may embrittle the cladding. The aim of this work is to obtain the mechanical and fracture properties of the cladding as a function of the hydrogen content and testing temperature. To this end, the embrittlement caused by circumferential hydrides was simulated on unirradiated fuel cladding samples in the laboratory. The structural integrity of the cladding was assessed at different temperatures (20, 135 and 300ºC), by using the ring compression test. The mechanical properties and the fracture energy were calculated from the experimental load vs. displacement curves, by means of a finite element model which incorporates the cohesive crack model.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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References

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