• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• 제50권5호
• /
• pp.665-677
• /
• 2014

A numerical method, using a special mixed finite element associated with the virtual crack extension technique, has been developed to evaluate the energy release rate for kinking cracks. The element is two dimensional 7-node mixed finite element with 5 displacement nodes and 2 stress nodes. The mixed finite element ensures the continuity of stress and displacement vectors on the coherent part and the free edge effect. This element has been formulated starting from a parent element in a natural plane with the aim to model different types of cracks with various orientations. Example problems with kinking cracks in a homogeneous material and bimaterial are presented to assess the computational accuracies.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• 제25권6호
• /
• pp.733-751
• /
• 2007

The metis element method (Hung 1978) has been applied to analyse free edge interlaminar stresses and delamination in composite laminates, which are subjected to extension and bending. The paper recalls Lekhnitskii's solution for generalized plane strain state of composite laminate and Wang's singular solution for determination of stress singularity order and of eigen coefficients $C_m$ for delamination problem. Then the formulae of metis displacement finite element in two-dimensional problem are established. Computation of the stress intensity factors and the energy release rates are presented in details. The energy release rate, G, is computed by Irwin's virtual crack technique using metis elements. Finally, results of interlaminar stresses, the three stress intensity factors and the energy release rates for delamination crack in composite laminates under extension and bending are illustrated and compared with the literature to demonstrate the efficiency of the present method.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제54권4호
• /
• pp.1195-1205
• /
• 2022

Recent developments on spectral diffusion algorithms, i.e., algorithms which exploit the projection of the solution on the eigenfunctions of the Laplacian operator, demonstrated their effective applicability in fast transient conditions. Nevertheless, the numerical error introduced by these algorithms, together with the uncertainties associated with model parameters, may impact the reliability of the predictions on short-lived volatile fission product release from nuclear fuel. In this work, we provide an upper bound on the numerical error introduced by the presented spectral diffusion algorithm, in both constant and time-varying conditions, depending on the number of modes and on the time discretization. The definition of this upper bound allows introducing a methodology to a priori bound the numerical error on short-lived volatile fission product retention.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제53권4호
• /
• pp.1250-1258
• /
• 2021

In this paper, the mechanical performance of cracked surface-coated Zircaloy cladding, which has different coating materials, coating thicknesses and initial crack lengths, has been investigated. By analyzing the stress field near the crack tip, the safety zone range of initial crack length has been decided. In order to determine whether the crack can propagate along the radial (r) or axial (z) directions, the energy release rate has been calculated. By comparing the energy release rate with fracture toughness of materials, we can divide the initial crack lengths into three zones: safety zone, discussion zone and danger zone. The results show that Cr is suitable coating material for the cladding with a thin coating while Fe-Cr-Al have a better fracture mechanical performance in the cladding with thick coating. The Si-coated and SiC-coated claddings are suitable for reactors with low power fuel elements. Conclusions in this paper can provide reference and guidance for the cladding design of nuclear fuel elements.

• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
• /
• 제34권6호
• /
• pp.712-721
• /
• 2023

While hydrogen is widely used, it has a low minimum ignition energy, raising safety concerns when using it. This research studied which parameters are the key variables in the hydrogen release and diffusion. These parameters were divided into six process variables in the initial release and two environmental variables in the dispersion. One hundred and twenty cases were selected through design of experiment, and the end-point in each case were analyzed using PHAST. Afterwards, an end-point prediction model was developed using RSM and ANOVA, and the impact of each variable on the endpoint was analyzed. As a result, the influence of eight variables was graded. The nozzle diameter had the greatest influence on the end-point, while the pipe roughness coefficient had no effect on the end-point. It is expected that these results will be used as basic data to improve safety across all fields of hydrogen handling facilities.

• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• 제22권3호
• /
• pp.259-276
• /
• 2018

This paper studies the energies and energy release rate (ERR) for the initially rotationally symmetric compressed (or stretched) in the inward (outward) radial direction of the PZT/Elastic/PZT sandwich circular plate with interface penny-shaped cracks. The investigations are made by utilizing the so-called three-dimensional linearized field equations and relations of electro-elasticity for piezoelectric materials. The quantities related to the initial stress state are determined within the scope of the classical linear theory of piezoelectricity. Mathematical formulation of the corresponding problem and determination of the quantities related to the stress-strain state which appear as a result of the action of the uniformly normal additional opening forces acting on the penny-shaped crack's edges are made within the scope of the aforementioned three-dimensional linearized field equations solution which is obtained with the use of the FEM modelling. Numerical results of the energies and ERR and the influence of the problem parameters on these quantities are presented and discussed for the PZT- 5H/Al/PZT-5H, PZT-4/Al/PZT-4, $BaTiO_3/Al/BaTiO_3$ and PZT-5H/StPZT-5H sandwich plates. In particular, it is established that the magnitude of the influence of the piezoelectricity and initial loading on the ERR increases with crack radius length.

• Advanced Composite Materials
• /
• 제18권2호
• /
• pp.121-134
• /
• 2009

The present study investigated, both experimentally and numerically, the improvement of low-velocity impact damage resistance of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminates due to through-the-thickness stitching. First, we conducted drop-weight impact tests for stitched and unstitched laminates. The results of damage inspection confirmed that stitching did improve the impact damage resistance, and revealed that the improvement effect became greater as the impact energy increased. Moreover, the stitching affected the through-the-thickness damage distribution. Next, we performed FEM analysis and calculated the energy release rate of the delamination crack using the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT). The numerical results revealed that the stitching affected the through-the-thickness damage distribution because the stitch threads had a marked effect on decreasing both the modes I and II energy release rate around the bottom of the laminate. Comparison of the results for models that contained delaminations of various sizes revealed that the energy release rate became lower as delamination size increased; therefore the stitching improved the impact resistance more effectively when the impact energy was higher.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제34권3호
• /
• pp.242-249
• /
• 2002

The relationship between the tritium release rate from the nuclear power plant and tritium concentration in the environment around the Kori site was modeled. The tritium concentration in the atmosphere was calculated by multiplying the release rates and $\chi$/Q values, and the d3V deposition rate at each sector according to the direction and the distance was obtained using a dry deposition velocity. The area around Kori site was divided into 6 zones according to the deposition rate. The six zones were divided into 14 compartments for the numerical simulation. Transfer coefficients between the compartments were derived using site characterization data. Source terms were calculated from the dry deposition rates. Tritium concentration in surface soil water and groundwater was calculated based upon a compartment model. The semi-analytical solution of the compartment model was obtained with a computer program, AMBER. The results showed that most of tritium deposited onto the land released into the atmosphere and the sea. Also, the estimated concentration in the top soil agreed well to that measured. Using the model, tritium concentration was predicted in the case that the tritium release rates were doubled.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• 제44권6호
• /
• pp.817-828
• /
• 2022

In this study, considering dissipated energy in fracture process zone (FPZ), a novel criterion based on maximum strain energy release rate (SER) for orthotropic materials is presented. General case of in-plane loading for cracks along the fibers is assumed. According to the experimental observations, crack propagation is supposed along the fibers and the reinforcement isotropic solid (RIS) concept is employed as a superior model for orthotropic materials. SER in crack initiation and propagation phases is investigated. Elastic properties of FPZ are extracted as a function of undamaged matrix media and micro-crack density. This criterion meaningfully links between dissipated energy due to toughening mechanisms of FPZ and the macroscopic fracture by defining stress intensity factors of the damaged zone. These coefficients are used in equations of maximum SER criterion. The effect of crack initiation angle and the damaged zone is considered simultaneously in this criterion and mode II stress intensity factor is extracted in terms of stress intensity factors of damage zone and crack initiation angle. This criterion can evaluate the effects of FPZ on the fracture behavior of orthotropic material. Good agreement between extracted fracture limit curves (FLC's) and available experimental data proves the ability of the new proposed criterion.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• 제42권2호
• /
• pp.114-129
• /
• 2017

Background: The purpose of this paper is to confirm the event timings and the magnitude of fission product aerosol release from the Fukushima accident. Over a few hundreds of technical papers have been published on the environmental impact of Fukushima Daiichi accident since the accident occurred on March 11, 2011. However, most of the research used reverse or inverse method based on the monitoring of activities in the remote places and only few papers attempted to estimate the release of fission products from individual reactor core or from individual spent fuel pool. Severe accident analysis code can be used to estimate the radioactive release from which reactor core and from which radionuclide the peaks in monitoring points can be generated. Materials and Methods: The basic material used for this study are the initial core inventory obtained from the report JAEA-Data/Code 2012-018 and the given accident scenarios provided by Japanese Government or Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) in official reports. In this research a forward method using severe accident progression code is used as it might be useful for justifying the results of reverse or inverse method or vice versa. Results and Discussion: The release timing and amounts to the environment are estimated for volatile radioactive fission products such as noble gases, cesium, iodine, and tellurium up to 184 hours (about 7.7 days) after earthquake occurs. The in-plant fission product behaviors and release characteristics to environment are estimated using the severe accident progression analysis code, MELCOR, for Fukushima Daiichi accident. These results are compared with other research results which are summarized in UNSCEAR 2013 Report and other technical papers. Also it may provide the physically based arguments for justifying or suspecting the rationale for the scenarios provided in open literature. Conclusion: The estimated results by MELCOR code simulation of this study indicate that the release amount of volatile fission products to environment from Units 1, 2, and 3 cores is well within the range estimated by the reverse or inverse method, which are summarized in UNSCEAR 2013 report. But this does not necessarily mean that these two approaches are consistent.