Modeling for fracture in materials under long-term static creep loading and neutron irradiation. Part 1. A physico-mechanical model

The paper presents a physico-mechanical model for predicting creep rupture in neutron-irradiated materials. The model is based on the approach whereby damage is described as voids on grain boundaries. The equations for void nucleation and growth which were proposed by the authors earlier are augmented to include neutron irradiation of material. Constitutive equations are derived to describe viscoplastic deformation of material including void propagation. A criterion for plastic stability of a unit cell is employed as a fracture criterion. © Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2006.