Publication Type
Conference Paper
Publication Date
Conference Name
9th International Conference on Fracture Mechanics for Concrete and Concrete Structures
Conference Location
Berkeley, California, United States of America
Conference Date
-
Abstract
Neutron irradiation exposure causes aggregate expansion, namely radiation-induced
volumetric expansion (RIVE). The structural significance of RIVE on a portion of a prototypical
pressurized water reactor (PWR) concrete biological shield (CBS) is investigated by using a meso-
scale nonlinear concrete model with inputs from an irradiation transport code and a coupled moisture
transport-heat transfer code. RIVE-induced severe cracking onset appears to be triggered by the ini-
tial shrinkage-induced cracking and propagates to a depth of > 10 cm at extended operation of 80
years. Relaxation of the cement paste stresses results in delaying the crack propagation by about 10
years.
