b'Report Summarizing Progress in Digital Image Correlation Analysisof Burst PhenomenonPrincipal Investigator: Nathan Capps, Kenneth KaneTeam Members/ Collaborator: Samuel Bell, Benton Garrison, Mackenzie Ridley, Brandon Johnston, Kory LintonNovel applicationAthe intent was to simultaneously novel approach has been developed to measureincorporate digital image correla-in-situ temperature profiles,tion and infrared thermography to of digital imagepressure, and strain during burstcompletely quantify strain, loading, correlation and infraredtesting of nuclear fuel claddings.and axial temperature of zirconium thermography duringThis includes the application ofand ATF claddings throughout burst testing providesdigital image correlation to quantifytesting. Successful application a robust framework forstrain and infrared thermographyof these techniques will address not only characterizingto determine temperature gradients.data and modeling gaps, develop incumbent materialsBoth techniques have never beennew material models, and refine but also acceleratingsimultaneously applied during acurrent predictive capabilities. The qualification ofburst test. The work presented in thedeveloped methodologies will be Accident Tolerant Fuelreport demonstrates the upgradedapplied beyond incumbent systems cladding concepts. burst test measurement capabilitiesto ATF cladding concepts such as Cr on zirconium claddings as a testcoated zirconium and Fecal alloys. case, with the long-term goal ofThis work was largely driven by the developing high fidelity models forneed for accelerated qualification Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) claddingof such new cladding materials. materials. Quantities such as multi- Development of in-situ characteriza-dimensional strain and strain rate oftion capabilities will lead to better select cases are presented alongsideunderstanding of safety limits and axial temperature profiles. reduce the time and cost of qualifi-cation of ATF materials. Additionally, Project Description: current interest in approval to Burst testing has long been ahigher burnup in light-water reactors reliable method of characterizingbeyond the current 62 GWd/TU fuel cladding materials in accidentlimit will require more detailed transients. However, most datacharacterization of zirconium generated from these efforts resultssystems. Such an increase will allow in end-of-life measurements such asfor longer fuel cycles, increasing burst temperature and pressure asthe efficiency and economics of well as post-test strain. In-situ strainreactor operations. Before burnup and temperature data linking theextension can be approved, there as-received and end-of-life conditionsare key safety related research areas was previously not captured. There- that need addressing, including fore, a technical goal of this researchimproved understanding and was to demonstrate a methodologymodeling capabilities of fuel clad-by incorporating modern in-situdings in loss-of-coolant accident experimental techniques, increasingscenarios. Therefore, the main characterization capabilitiesobjectives of this research were: during burst testing. Specifically, 92 2022|AFC ACCOMPLISHMENTS'