Zircaloy fuel cladding collapse test plan

This test plan outlines the experimental philosophy and procedures for investigating the deformation behavior of Zircaloy fuel cladding under normal and near-normal reactor operating conditions. Such conditions impose compressive hoop and axial stresses on the cladding at temperatures that encompass the time-dependent or creep-strain regime. The purpose of the outlined study is to understand the deformation behavior of cladding under in- and out-of-reactor conditions so that mechanical properties correlations may be developed