Localization of deformation and fracture of zirconium alloys

The report consists of two parts. The first explains the theory of the localization of deformation in deformation zones and the theory of localized necking of thin sheets and their relation to the localization of damage and development of cracks. Part two deals with the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the behavior of Zr alloys. A bifurcation analysis is used for three variant constitutive equations to verify the hypothesis that predicted values of critical deformation in a corrosive medium represent deformations to fracture. The relation is defined between fracture toughness in a corrosive medium and critical deformation for the localization of deformation in deformation zones. The analysis of the processes of corrosion cracking of cladding tubes which had been without defects in the initial state, and of the development of cracks in the corrosive medium during planar deformation showed that there exists a close relation between mechanical characteristics and the development and growth of cracks. (author). 7 figs., 50 refs