Progress in Assessment of the Behavior of Light Water Reactor Nuclear Fuel Materials during Off-Normal Conditions

One unifying thread of any fuel material considered for light water reactor (LWR) service is a need to exhibit satisfactory material response under a range of basic stimuli that must be designed for in this environment. The focus of the current work is twofold. First, the general conditions of relevance to LWR fuel service are identified. These are then translated into specific tests or test conditions that must be considered by experimental programs that intend to explore the behavior of a new fuel or fuel material system. Lessons learned and challenges specific to the current generation of LWR fuel replacement will be emphasized. (authors)