Identification of the steady-state creep behavior of Zircaloy-4 claddings under simulated Loss-Of-Coolant Accident conditions based on a coupled experimental/numerical approach

Abstract

Solids and Structures, Elsevier, 2017, 115-116, pp.190-199. 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2017Ballooning tests were performed on tubular specimens. A heterogeneous thermal mechanical loading was applied to the specimen. The resulting thermal and kinematics fields were measured by full field optical measurements.

Validation of a multimodal set‐up for the study of zirconium alloys claddings' behaviour under simulated LOCA conditions

“…The force was also set to zero. Note that the dedicated test conditions were aggravating compared with those in Campello et al (isothermal creep). Radiometric models were calibrated for each cycle during its own heating part.…”

“…In Campello et al, 2D‐DIC measured the creep rate distribution along the yellow line in front of the cameras as depicted in Figure b. The ROI (white box in Figure b) was discretized by isotropic linear Q4 finite elements.…”

“…The same test procedure as in Campello et al was chosen to assess the 2D‐DIC. The test procedure is shown in Figure .…”

“…Campello et al presented the global picture of the coupled experimental/numerical approach to identify the steady‐state creep behaviour of as‐fabricated Zircaloy‐4 claddings under simulated LOCA conditions. The study targeted thermal–mechanical conditions corresponding to the lower bound of phase transformation from α towards α + β where several creep mechanisms are potentially activated (i.e., temperatures between 750 and 850 °C, stress between 7 and 45 MPa).…”

“…This paper focuses on the validation of the experimental set‐up detailed in Campello et al and more specifically on uncertainties and error quantification of the two key optical full‐field measurement methods applied in the test configuration: NIR thermography (NIRT) and two‐dimensional digital image correlation (2D‐DIC).…”