b'Mechanical Testing on Simulated HBU Cladding toPrepare for AFC LTR EvaluationPrincipal Investigator: David Kamerman, INLTeam Members/ Collaborators: W. David Swank, David Cottle, Austin Mathews, M. Nedim Cinbiz, Robert Hansenand Jason Schulthess (INL)Figure 1. Cladding sectioning diagramT he purpose of this researchzirconium hydrides which is a chief following hydrogen charging. project is to develop simulatedembrittlement mechanism for Zircaloy high burnup Zircaloycladding. The hydrided Zircaloy cladding that can be used to developwill then be characterized through mechanical testing techniques foruse of Hot Vacuum Extraction to light water reactor (LWR) claddingdetermine the hydrogen content and coming from irradiations in theoptical metallography to determine Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), thethe orientation and distribution of Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT)the hydrides in the Zircaloy matrix. reactor, or commercial reactors asFollowing material characterization, part of lead test assembly programs.the degraded samples will be subject Zircaloy cladding will be artificiallyto tensile loads to determine the degraded by exposure to hydrogen gaseffect of the brittle hydrides on the resulting in the formation of brittlecladdings mechanical strength and fracture toughness.138 2019|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS'