A Fracture Mechanics Based Model for Hydride Embrittlement of Zircaloy Nuclear Fuel Claddings
This paper describes a finite element based fracture mechanics model to assess how hydrides affect the integrity of nucler fuel zircaloy cladding tubes. The hydrides are assumed to fracture at a low load whereas the propagation of the fractured hydrides in the zircaloy matrix and failure of the tube is controlled by nonlinear fracture mechanics and plastic collapse of the ligaments between the hydrides. The paper quantifies the relative importance of hydride geometrical parameters such as size, orientation and location of individual hydrides
and interaction between adjacent hydrides. The paper also presents analyses for some different and representative multi-hydride configurations. The model is adaptable to general and complex crack configurations and can therefore be used to assess realistic hydride configurations. The mechanism of cladding failure is by plastic collapse of ligaments between interacting fractured hydrides. The results show that the integrity can be drastically reduced when several radial hydrides form continuous patterns.
NILSSON Karl-Fredrik;
JAKSIC Nikola;
PAFFUMI Elena;
2012-03-30
Deutscher Verband für Materialforschung und -Prüfung
JRC62662
http://www.ecf18.de/programme/default_session.asp?node=34&sessionID=15&day=thu,
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC62662,
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