Mechanical modelling of Zircaloy-4 behavior

The predictive capacity of a phenomenological macroscopic model is limited by the experimental. database used to identify this model. Then, to improve the Zircaloy-4 mechanical behavior description, it should be necessary to introduce new data to better identify the model used. but some results cannot be technically obtained. Nevertheless, knowing the metal plasticity mechanisms, a good mechanical behavior description is possible by introducing a micromechanical approach. The results of such a model can therefore be used to improve the predictive capacity of phenomenological models by adding new informations. By this way. the evolution of the Zircaloy-1 anisotropy upon irradiation has been studied.