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<p>Zirconium alloys are used as a fuel cladding material in light water reactors due to their low neutron cross section, good corrosion resistance, appropriate high-temperature strength, and dimensional stability under radiation. Thermal creep is considered one of the severe degradation factors during the reactor core operation. Therefore, an understanding of the creep flow processes and fracture control is necessary for predicting the lifetime of the cladding component. This paper summarizes the results from an extensive experiment on the characteristics of creep flow of the non-irradiated Zr1%Nb cladding alloy in the form of a thin-walled cladding tube. The study is based on the experimental results of the constant stress creep tests and the sophisticated helicoid spring specimen technique. Finally, the modified creep rate model has been proposed, where the driving force is expressed as effective stress instead of the applied stress. The effective stress was described as linear dependence on the applied stress with some small residual stress below the threshold.</p>

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Experimental investigation and predictive modeling of the thermal creep behavior of Zr1Nb alloy cladding

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年8月7日

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  • Luboš Kloc,
  • Václav Sklenička

摘要

Zirconium alloys are used as a fuel cladding material in light water reactors due to their low neutron cross section, good corrosion resistance, appropriate high-temperature strength, and dimensional stability under radiation. Thermal creep is considered one of the severe degradation factors during the reactor core operation. Therefore, an understanding of the creep flow processes and fracture control is necessary for predicting the lifetime of the cladding component. This paper summarizes the results from an extensive experiment on the characteristics of creep flow of the non-irradiated Zr1%Nb cladding alloy in the form of a thin-walled cladding tube. The study is based on the experimental results of the constant stress creep tests and the sophisticated helicoid spring specimen technique. Finally, the modified creep rate model has been proposed, where the driving force is expressed as effective stress instead of the applied stress. The effective stress was described as linear dependence on the applied stress with some small residual stress below the threshold.