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DOE OSTI2023

High-burnup Experiments in Reactivity Initiated Accidents (HERA)

HERA is a joint experimental program (JEEP) operating within the Nuclear Energy Agency’s (NEA’s) framework for irradiation experiments (FIDES). HERA is dedicated to the understanding of light water reactor (LWR) fuel performance at high burnup under reactivity-initiated accidents (RIA). During RIAs the fuel cladding can be breached by one of two mechanisms; pellet-cladding mechanical interaction or high temperature balloon and rupture. Pellet-cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI) failure occurs in the early phase of an RIA transient where the fuel pellet expands rapidly into the cladding prior to any meaningful heat transfer from the pellet to the cladding. This results in high stresses in the cladding resulting in crack propagation through the base Zircaloy metal and axially along the cladding tube. Failure by PCMI is a brittle failure mode and occurs at low cladding strains, approximately 2% hoop strain. If the cladding survives the PCMI phase of the transient, it may still fail due to ballooning and rupture induced by extended exposure to high temperature. Thermal transport from the fuel pin to the coolant is significantly reduced if a transition to film boiling on the cladding surface occurs. This result in both a rapid increase in fuel temperature, which drives fission gas release, and a spike in cladding temperature, which results in loss of mechanical strength. If the internal pressure of the fuel rod is greater than the system pressure the cladding can inelastically deform and eventually rupture. Failure by swelling and rupture occurs at larger strains, generally greater than 5% hoop strain. While PCMI failures are generally seen as more limiting, the dominance of one failure mode over the other can be affected by both the cladding material conditions, and the transient evolution.

(HERA)↗

NASA NTRS2012

Elastic Plastic Fracture Analysis of an Aluminum COPV Liner

Onboard any space-launch vehicle, composite over-wrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) may be utilized by propulsion or environmental control systems. The failure of a COPV has the potential to be catastrophic, resulting in the loss of vehicle, crew or mission. The latest COPV designs have reduced the wall-thickness of the metallic liner to the point where the material strains plastically during operation. At this time, the only method to determine the damage tolerance lifetime (safe-life) of a plastically responding metallic liner is through full-scale COPV testing. Conducting tests costs substantially more and can be far more time consuming than performing an analysis. As a result of this cost, there is a need to establish a qualifying process through the use of a crack growth analysis tool. This paper will discuss fracture analyses of plastically responding metallic liners in COPVs. Uni-axial strain tests have been completed on laboratory specimens to collect elastic-plastic crack growth data. This data has been modeled with the crack growth analysis tool, NASGRO 6.20 to predict the response of laboratory specimens and subsequently the complexity of a COPV.

Forth, Scott↗

DOE OSTI2025

Coupled Thermo-Hydrological-Mechanical-Chemical Behavior of Anisotropic Granite for Geologic Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste: A Core-Scale Laboratory Investigation

The coupled thermo-hydrological-mechanical-chemical (THMC) behavior of rock within an Excavation Damaged Zone (EDZ) is critical for the safety and long-term performance of a geological repository for high-level radioactive wastes. While many laboratory experiments have been conducted to investigate EDZ rocks, the flow and deformation characteristics resulting from anisotropic rock textures and microcrack distribution under triaxial loading and elevated temperatures remain poorly understood. Particularly, cracks at various scales serve as fast paths for fluid flow and solute transport and present as focal points of mechanical weakness, which complicate the coupled THMC processes in anisotropic EDZ rocks and challenge modeling predictions. Here, in this study, a series of core-scale experiments was conducted on three granite samples under repository-relevant conditions. These rock samples were obtained from the Grimsel Underground Research Laboratory (URL), featured by anisotropic minerals (represented by bedding layers) and microcrack distributions and coarse cm-scale grain sizes. During the experiments, samples were subjected to an elevated temperature at 90 °C and different triaxial loading conditions either by radial (normal to bedding layers) or axial (parallel to bedding layers) compaction. Water was injected into the samples, and the rock permeability evolutions and effluent water chemistry were monitored closely. For intact samples, thermal expansion of minerals at 90 °C resulted in a large, 75% irreversible permeability reduction and rock strengthening under radial compaction, while thermal impact was limited to a 15% permeability reduction under axial compaction. In contrast, for a sample containing open cracks, the growth of fractures during the experiment resulted in an abrupt permeability increase and fast failure at 90 °C. The effluent water chemistry indicates much more considerable mineral dissolution from large shear sliding than that in rocks dominated by mechanical compaction. These results helped better understand the coupled THMC processes in anisotropic rocks containing cracks, evaluate the behaviors of EDZ rocks, and predict the long-term evolution of EDZ for the performance of the repositories.

Coupled THMC processes↗

NASA NTRS1986

Axial and torsional fatigue behavior of Waspaloy

The cyclic flow response and crack growth behavior of Waspaloy at room temperature and 650 C under tensile loading and torsional loading was studied, for two conditions of Waspaloy: fine grain, large gamma prime size; coarse grain, small gamma prime size. The fine grain material showed 5 to 10 percent hardening after about 10 percent of life, with sequent softening to failure at both themperature levels. The coarse grain material showed either stable response or monotonic softening to failure. Early crack initiation was observed on planes of maximum shear, with eventual branching to principle planes under torsional loading; cracks were always normal to load axis under tensile loading. Also, crack paths were intergranular at 650 C, mostly transgranular at room temperature.

Zamrik, S.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Characterization of Two-Dimensionally Braided Composites Subject to Static and Fatigue Loading

This paper presents a characterization of damage processes in four different two-dimensionally braided architectures consisting of graphite fibers in an epoxy matrix, subjected to both static and fatigue loading. Both notched and unnotched specimens were tested from each architecture. Damage mechanisms in static compression testing were found to range from matrix cracking in an architecture controlled by shearing characteristics of the matrix to axial fiber bundle kinking and splitting in architectures controlled by unidirectional fiber bundles. In both static tension and tension-tension fatigue testing, it was found that all architectures sustained the same basic damage types and progression sequences. The first types of damage to occur were splits in the braider bundles and cracks in the resin rich areas. Once a sufficient density of this type of damage had occurred, the axial bundles began to disbond from the surrounding constituents, and continued to do so until ultimate failure. One architecture sustained an additional mode of failure, which involved splitting of the axial bundles along their length. Varied degrees of notch sensitivity were found among the different architectures. In one architecture, this was attributed to differences found in the stacking of the individual plys of the braided architecture. As the density of axial bundles adjacent to the notch increased, the rate of stiffness loss increased and the life decreased.

Burr, Scott T.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Elevated temperature axial and torsional fatigue behavior of Haynes 188

The results of high-temperature axial and torsional low-cycle fatigue experiments performed on Haynes 188, a wrought cobalt-base superalloy, are reported. Fatigue tests were performed at 760 C in air on thin-walled tubular specimens at various ranges under strain control. Data are also presented for coefficient of thermal expansion, elastic modulus, and shear modulus at various temperatures from room to 1000 C, and monotonic and cyclic stress-strain curves in tension and in shear at 760 C. The data set is used to evaluate several multiaxial fatigue life models (most were originally developed for room temperature multiaxial life prediction) including von Mises equivalent strain range (ASME boiler and pressure vessel code), Manson-Halford, Modified Multiaxiality Factor (proposed here), Modified Smith-Watson-Topper, and Fatemi-Socie-Kurath. At von Mises equivalent strain ranges (the torsional strain range divided by the square root of 3, taking the Poisson's ratio to be 0.5), torsionally strained specimens lasted, on average, factors of 2 to 3 times longer than axially strained specimens. The Modified Multiaxiality Factor approach shows promise as a useful method of estimating torsional fatigue life from axial fatigue data at high temperatures. Several difficulties arose with the specimen geometry and extensometry used in these experiments. Cracking at extensometer probe indentations was a problem at smaller strain ranges. Also, as the largest axial and torsional strain range fatigue tests neared completion, a small amount of specimen buckling was observed.

Bonacuse, Peter J.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Elevated temperature axial and torsional fatigue behavior of Haynes 188

The results are reported for high-temperature axial and torsional low-cycle fatigue experiments performed at 760 C in air on thin-walled tubular specimens of Haynes 188, a wrought cobalt-based superalloy. Data are also presented for mean coefficient of thermal expansion, elastic modulus, and shear modulus at various temperatures from room to 1000 C, and monotonic and cyclic stress-strain curves in tension and in shear at 760 C. This data set is used to evaluate several multiaxial fatigue life models (most were originally developed for room temperature multiaxial life prediction) including von Mises equivalent strain range (ASME Boiler and Pressure Code), Manson-Halford, modified multiaxiality factor (proposed in this paper), modified Smith-Watson-Topper, and Fatemi-Socie-Kurath. At von Mises equivalent strain ranges (the torsional strain range divided by the square root of 3, taking the Poisson's ratio to be 0.5), torsionally strained specimens lasted, on average, factors of 2 to 3 times longer than axially strained specimens. The modified multiaxiality factor approach shows promise as a useful method of estimating torsional fatigue life from axial fatigue data at high temperatures. Several difficulties arose with the specimen geometry and extensometry used in these experiments. Cracking at extensometer probe indentations was a problem at smaller strain ranges. Also, as the largest axial and torsional strain range fatigue tests neared completion, a small amount of specimen buckling was observed.

Bonacuse, Peter J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Hot forming of silicon sheet, silicon sheet growth development for the large area silicon sheet task of the low cost silicon solar array project

The hot workability of polycrystalline silicon was studied. Uniaxail stress-strain curves are given for strain rates in the range of .0001 to .1/sec and temperatures from 1100 to 1380 C. At the highest strain rates at 1380 C axial strains in excess of 20% were easily obtainable without cracking. After deformations of 36%, recrystallization was completed within 0.1 hr at 1380 C. When the recrystallization was complete, there was still a small volume fraction of unrecyrstallized material which appeared very stable and may degrade the electronic properties of the bulk materials. Texture measurements showed that the as-produced vapor deposited polycrystalline rods have a 110 fiber texture with the 110 direction parallel to the growth direction and no preferred orientation about this axis. Upon axial compression perpendicular to the growth direction, the former 110 fiber axis changed to 111 and the compression axis became 110 . Recrystallization changed the texture to 110 along the former fiber axis and to 100 along the compression axis.

Graham, C. D., Jr.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Porous Flow Modeling of Axial Gas Redistribution in Fragmented LWR Fuel Rods using MOOSE

Understanding how gas axially redistributes within fragmented fuel pellets is crucial for predicting the behavior of Light Water Reactor (LWR) fuel rods, particularly during transient and accidental scenarios. The time scale of this phenomenon plays a fundamental role in determining the progression and hazard of a Loss Of Coolant Accident (LOCA), especially when high burn-up fuel in a severe state of fragmentation is involved. Here, this study presents a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model developed within the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) to predict the time-scale of plenum depressurization in Light-Water Reactor (LWR) fuel rods driven by axial gas transport through fragmented pellets. The model examines the effects of incorporating non-linearities in the friction term by comparing the results with experimental data. The experiment employed surrogate fuel rods containing pellets subjected to mechanical and/or thermal loadings to simulate various severity of cracking, and aimed at studying the influence of fuel conditions on axial gas redistribution. The results of this analysis indicate that under certain flow regime conditions - determined by the value of an equivalent Reynolds number - accounting for the non-linear friction term in Navier-Stokes equations guarantees better predictions for the time-scale of plenum depressurization. Also, the model enabled the simulation of the pressure decay by assigning distinct permeability values to each pellet instead of a single uniform value. Multiple simulations were run across all possible pellet position combinations, having each pellet assigned with values of permeability extracted from the experimental data. This allows to quantify the impact of the considering various non-uniform distributions of permeability on the dynamics of axial gas redistribution. The present work findings enhance the understanding of axial gas transport, and provide valuable insights for the integration of a model for predicting the axial gas redistribution during a LOCA scenario into the BISON fuel performance code.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

NASA NTRS1979

Energy absorption mechanisms during crack propagation in metal matrix composites

The stress distributions around individual fibers in a unidirectional boron/aluminum composite material subjected to axial and transverse loadings are being studied utilizing a generalized plane strain finite element analysis. This micromechanics analysis was modified to permit the analysis of longitudinal sections, and also to incorporate crack initiation and propagation. The analysis fully models the elastoplastic response of the aluminum matrix, as well as temperature dependent material properties and thermal stress effects. The micromechanics analysis modifications are described, and numerical results are given for both longitudinal and transverse models loaded into the inelastic range, to first failure. Included are initially cracked fiber models.

Murphy, D. P.↗

DOE OSTI2022

A thermodynamically consistent finite strain phase field approach to ductile fracture considering multi-axial stress states

Phase field models for ductile fracture have gained significant attention in the last two decades due to their ability in implicitly tracking the nucleation and propagation of cracks. However, most crack phase field formulations for elastoplastic solids focus only on the effects of plastic deformation, and do not consider the different multi-axial stress states that may arise in practical designs. In this work, a thermodynamically consistent phase field approach coupled with finite strain plasticity, considering multi-axial stress states is presented. In order to account for the coupling between plasticity and stress states, the Stress-Weighted Ductile Fracture Model (SWDFM) is utilized. The SWDFM represents a criterion for predicting ductile crack initiation under both monotonic and cyclic loadings based on histories of an internal plastic variable, stress triaxiality, and the Lode angle parameter. The excellent performance of the SWDFM for predicting ductile crack initiation motivates for its incorporation into a phase field approach for predicting both crack initiation and propagation through degradation of the fracture toughness. Moreover, based on the second law of thermodynamics, exact requirements are imposed on the rate at which the fracture toughness can evolve. Here, a novel function for degrading the plastic yield surface during the evolution of damage is introduced. This function, in line with experimental observations, leads to an accumulation of plastic deformation in damaged regions of a solid, and avoids numerical instabilities arising from concentrations of large plastic deformations in severely damaged regions. For validating the proposed model, results of computational simulations are compared to data from selected tests considering different multi-axial stress states. Comparisons of the numerical results with data from laboratory experiments demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed framework.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2022

Influence of weave architecture on mechanical response of SiC f -SiC m tubular composites

Due to their high resistance to radiation damage and elevated temperature, silicon carbide fiber-reinforced, silicon carbide matrix composites (SiC f -SiC m ) are identified as potential cladding structures for use in nuclear reactors. In this study, four composite architectures with varying ply numbers along the thickness direction and different biaxial or triaxial plain weave orientations at either 45° or 60°, were systematically evaluated under various stress states to assess the influence of weave architecture on mechanical performance. Experiments were conducted on SiC f -SiC m composite tubes under tensile hoop, axial compression, and rotating flexural loading to evaluate the mechanical response and investigate the failure modes using high-speed imaging and digital image correlation (DIC) techniques. It was found that for tensile hoop burst and flexural loading, the braiding angle had the most significant influence on the strength of the composite, whereas the effect of fiber angle was more limited for compression testing. Under axial compression a unique failure mode where a microcrack nucleates and grows only to a length equal to the thickness of a single yarn was identified. This crack growth behavior is reflected as periodic oscillations in the load-displacement response. For both axial and hoop loading, regardless of weave angle and number of plies, failure always initiated parallel to the tube axis in a single yarn and the cumulative interaction of these microcracks lead to either axial burst or fracture at an angle to the tube axis along a yarn. Furthermore, these results point to the importance of customizing the design of tube architecture for enhanced performance in specified nuclear applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1961

Effects of Changing Stress Amplitude on the Rate of Fatigue-Crack Propagation in Two Aluminum Alloys

A series of fatigue tests with specimens subjected to constant amplitude and two-step axial loads were conducted on 12-inch-wide sheet specimens of 2024-T3 and 7075-T6 aluminum alloy to study the effects of a change in stress level on fatigue-crack propagation. Comparison of the results of the tests in which the specimens were tested at first a high and then a low stress level with those of the constant-stress- amplitude tests indicated that crack propagation was generally delayed after the transition to the lower stress level. In the tests in which the specimens were tested at first a low and then a high stress level, crack propagation continued at the expected rate after the change in stress levels.

Hudson, C. Michael↗

NASA NTRS1998

Residual Strength Pressure Tests and Nonlinear Analyses of Stringer-and Frame-Stiffened Aluminum Fuselage Panels with Longitudinal Cracks

The results of residual strength pressure tests and nonlinear analyses of stringer- and frame-stiffened aluminum fuselage panels with longitudinal cracks are presented. Two types of damage are considered: a longitudinal crack located midway between stringers, and a longitudinal crack adjacent to a stringer and along a row of fasteners in a lap joint that has multiple-site damage (MSD). In both cases, the longitudinal crack is centered on a severed frame. The panels are subjected to internal pressure plus axial tension loads. The axial tension loads are equivalent to a bulkhead pressure load. Nonlinear elastic-plastic residual strength analyses of the fuselage panels are conducted using a finite element program and the crack-tip-opening-angle (CTOA) fracture criterion. Predicted crack growth and residual strength results from nonlinear analyses of the stiffened fuselage panels are compared with experimental measurements and observations. Both the test and analysis results indicate that the presence of MSD affects crack growth stability and reduces the residual strength of stiffened fuselage shells with long cracks.

Young, Richard D.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Residual Strength Pressure Tests and Nonlinear Analyses of Stringer- and Frame-Stiffened Aluminum Fuselage Panels with Longitudinal Cracks

Young, Richard D.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Analytical stress intensity solution for the Stable Poisson Loaded specimen

An analytical calibration of the Stable Poisson Loaded (SPL) specimen is presented. The specimen configuration is similar to the ASTM E-561 compact-tension specimen with displacement controlled wedge loading used for R-curve determination. The crack mouth opening displacements (CMODs) are produced by the diametral expansion of an axially compressed cylindrical pin located in the wake of a machined notch. Due to the unusual loading configuration, a three-dimensional finite element analysis was performed with gap elements simulating the contact between the pin and specimen. In this report, stress intensity factors, CMODs, and crack displacement profiles, are reported for different crack lengths and different contacting conditions. It was concluded that the computed stress intensity factor decreases sharply with increasing crack length thus making the SPL specimen configuration attractive for fracture testing of brittle, high modulus materials.

Ghosn, Louis J.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Crack-growth behavior in thick welded plates of Inconel 718 at room and cryogenic temperatures

Results of mechanical-properties and axial-load fatigue and fracture tests performed on thick welded plates of Inconel 718 superalloy are presented. The test objectives were to determine the tensile strength properties and the crack-growth behavior in electron-beam, plasma-arc, and gas tungsten are welds for plates 1.90 cm (0.75 in) thick. Base-metal specimens were also tested to determine the flaw-growth behavior. The tests were performed in room-temperature-air and liquid nitrogen environments. The experimental crack-growth-rate data are correlated with theoretical crack-growth-rate predictions for semielliptical surface flaws.

Forman, R. G.↗

NASA NTRS1972

Fracture of cylindrical and spherical shells containing a crack.

Fatigue and fracture of cylindrical and spherical shells containing a through crack and subjected to internal pressure or torsion are considered. The stress intensity factor ratios giving the effect of curvature are obtained as functions of a dimensionless shell parameter. By using the conventional plastic strip model the plastic zone size around the crack tip and the crack opening displacement are calculated. The calculated COD values are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The fracture criterion of critical COD is verified by using the results of the burst tests in titanium and aluminum alloy cryogenic pressure vessels. Modified fatigue crack propagation models taking into account the bending effect in shells are introduced and are applied to the analysis of experimental data obtained from flat plates, and cylindrical shells under axial tension, internal pressure, and torsion. Finally, the paper includes the effect of humidity on the crack growth rate and the effect of load biaxiality on the rupture strength.

Erdogan, F.↗