Influence of specimen design on the ductility of zircaloy cladding: Experiment and analysis
In a reactivity-initiated accident (RIA), a control rod ejection or drop causes a sudden increase in reactor power, which in turn deposits a large amount of energy into the fuel. The resulting thermal expansion and fission gas release loads the cladding into the plastic regime and may cause it to fail. In order to predict cladding survivability, there has been considerable interest and effort in supplementing integral WA tests with separate-effects ring tests of cladding tubes. Such tests can give one insight into failure mechanisms and measure relevant mechanical properties (such as yield strength, uniform elongation, uniaxial stress-strain curve, etc.), for use in computer codes that attempt to predict cladding response during an RIA. The accuracy of such model predictions obviously depends on appropriate and accurate failure data. This study concerns itself with the proper development of ring tensile tests that (i) are similar to the loading conditions present in an RIA, (ii) measure the relevant mechanical properties and (iii) provide insight regarding the influence of the strain paths on the failure mechanisms present if Zircaloy cladding. Based on both experiments and computational modeling, the authors investigate the failure of Zircaloy tubing as a function of specimen geometry, and discuss the limitations of certain ring-test geometries in yielding failure ductility data that are applicable to RIA situations.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 750585
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/ET/CP-100469
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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