Investigation of grain-scale stresses and modeling of tensile deformation in a ZIRCALOY-4 weldment

Tensile tests and neutron diffraction measurements of the residual elastic strain response to applied uniaxial stress have been made on samples taken from a ZIRCALOY-4 (Zr-4) weld in the as-welded condition. The samples were taken from the parent plate, and the weld metal and time-of-flight neutron diffraction measurements were made parallel and perpendicular to the applied stress direction, which corresponds to the weld direction and the transverse direction in the plane of the plate. Measurements were made on all crystallographic reflections permitted by the texture, and this allowed strains to be measured over the entire of the stereographic projection. The strains can be understood qualitatively in terms of what is already known for other zirconium alloys and with the aid of the elasto-plastic self-consistent model.