Low cycle fatigue behavior of Zircaloy-2 at room temperature

Fuel cladding and pressure tubes of Zircaloy-2 in pressurized light and heavy water nuclear reactors experience plastic strain cycles due to power fluctuations in the reactor, such strain cycles cause low cycle fatigue (LCF) and could be life limiting factor for them. Factors like strain rate, strain amplitude and temperature are known to have marked influence on LCF behavior. The effect of strain rate from 10−2 to 10−4 s−1 on LCF behavior of Zircaloy-2 was studied, at different strain amplitudes between ±0.50% and ±1.25% at room temperature. Fatigue life was decreased with lowering of strain rate from 10−2 to 10−4 s−1 at all the strain amplitudes studied. While there was cyclic softening at lower strain amplitudes (Δεt/2 ⩽ ±0.60%) cyclic hardening was exhibited at higher strain amplitudes (Δεt/2 ⩾ ±1.00%) at all the strain rates. Further, there was secondary cyclic hardening during the later stage of cycling at all the strain amplitudes and the strain rates. Cyclic stress-strain hysteresis loops at the lowest strain rate of 10−4 s−1 were found to be heavily serrated, resulting from dynamic strain aging (DSA). There was significant effect of strain rate on dislocation substructure. The results are discussed in terms of high concentration of point defects generated during cyclic straining and their role in enhancing interaction between solutes and dislocations.