Influence of Neutron Irradiation and Post-Irradiation Annealing on Mechanical Properties and Fracture Toughness of Anticorrosive Cladding for VVER-Type Reactors: Part 2. Predictive Modeling of the Mechanical Properties and Fracture Toughness of Cladding

Abstract

Abstract—The influence of neutron irradiation, post-irradiation annealing, and re-irradiation on the fracture toughness and mechanical properties of anticorrosive cladding material for reactor pressure vessels was investigated. Dependences for predicting the deformation diagram and fracture toughness of the weld metal, with the consideration of the effect of annealing and repeated neutron irradiation were proposed. The obtained curves may be used to calculate the stress-strain state of reactor pressure vessels, as well as to assess the brittle fracture of the material during operation of the reactor vessel after annealing.