• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.70-79
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• 1984

With the help of the nuclear computational system for a large LMFBR (KAERI-26 group cross section library/1DX/2DB), the reactivity coefficients for the diagrid expansion and the pad expansion at the beginning of cycle of the equilibrium core of SUPER-PHENIX I are calculated and reviewed. the core is described using R-Z geometry model, and a two-dimensional multigroup diffusion theory is used. For reference cases, reactivity calculations for radial and axial uniform expansion are performed, and also calculated are reactivity variations due to changes in material density and core volume. The reactivity coefficient for the diagrid expansion is calculated to be -0.553pcm/mil. The temperature coefficient corresponding to the above value is -1.0766pcm/$^{\circ}C$ and is well in accord with the French datum of -1.09pcm/$^{\circ}C$ within 1.2% difference. With the use of 4he calculational method for the diagrid expansion effect, reactivity calculations for the pad expansion bringing about nonuniform expansion are performed, which show that the calculational method is very useful in the analysis of the pad expansion effect. The reactivity coefficients for the pad expansion are calculated to be -0.2743 pcm/mil and -0.2786pcm1mi1 for the averaged expansion model and for the integrated pancake model, respectively. Under the assumption of the free expanding core the temperature reactivity coefficients for each model are obtained to be -0.5766pcm/$^{\circ}C$ and -0.5858pcm/$^{\circ}C$, both of which agree with the French datum of -0.574pcm/$^{\circ}C$ within 2% difference.

• Composites Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.7-17
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• 2004

In this study, the effect of laminate thickness on the compressive behaviour of composite materials is investigated through systematic experimental work using the stacking sequences, $[O_4]_{ns},{\;}[45/0/-45/90]_{ns}$ and $[45_n/0_n/-45_n/90_n]_s$ (n=2 to 8). Parameters such as fibre volume fraction, void content, fibre waviness and interlaminar stresses, influencing compressive strength with increasing laminate thickness are also studied experimentally and theoretically. Furthermore the stacking sequence effects on failure strength of multidirectional laminates are examined. For this purpose, two different scaling techniques are used; (1) ply-level technique $[45_n/0_n/-45_n/90_n]s$ and (2) sublaminate level technique $[45/0/-45/90]_{ns}$. An apparent thickness effect existes in the lay-up with blocked plies, i.e. unidirectional specimens ($[O_4]_{ns}) and ply-level scaled multidirectional specimens ($[45_n/0_n/-45_n/90_n]_s$). Fibre waviness and void content are found to be main parameters contributing to the thickness effect on the compressive failure strength. However, the compressive strength of the sublaminate level scaled specimens ($[45/0/-45/90]_{ns}$) is almost unaffected regardless of the specimen thickness (since ply thickness remains constant). From the investigation of the stacking sequence effect, the strength values obtained from the sublaminate level scaled specimens are slightly higher than those obtained from the ply level scaled specimens. The reason for this effect is explained by the fibre waviness, void content, free edge effect and stress redistribution in blocked $0^{\circ}$ plies and unblocked $0^{\circ}$ plies. The measured failure strengths are compared with the predicted values.