PIE techniques for hydride reorientation test at NDC

Dry storage of spent fuels in the interim storage facility is being planned in Japan. However, the gradual deterioration of the mechanical property of fuel cladding due to internal pressure and temperature during the storage term is known. Therefore, the integrity of stored fuel rods should be confirmed before the start of dry storage. For the last several years, NDC had a lot of experiences on the hydride reorientation test. The specimen preparation techniques on the hydride reorientation test and the mechanical testing techniques after the hydride reorientation are shown in this paper. (author)