A dynamic reliability model for the nuclear fuel element

Damaging history and materials environmental conditions must be taken into account as closely as possible in development of a statistical failure model for the fuel element. In the present work a dynamic reliability function(DRF) or damage resistance function was derived to account for the above mentioned effects in development of statistical fuel failure model. Since degradation due to dynamic stresses, neutron irradiation, and chemical and stress corrosion can be considered as a Markov process, thus this process was used for derivation of a dynamic reliability function for the fuel element. It was also possible to obtain an analytical solution for the dynamic reliability function