Achieving the Right Balance Between Conservatism, Complexity, and Confidence to Secure a Safe and Extended AGR Lifetime

Foreword—Jim Reed
Preface—Anthony J Wickham

Part 1—Graphite properties

Dimensional change measurement of Gen IV nuclear graphite using ion beam irradiation
Zhoutong He, Andy Smith, Alex Theodosiou, Abbie Jones, and Barry Marsden

Mechanisms of retention and transport of fission products in virgin and irradiated nuclear graphite
Alex Theodosiou, Barry Marsden, Clint Sharrard, and Abbie Jones

Size effects on nominal net section fracture strength in unirradiated Gilsocarbon-containing notches
Ruoru Ye, Milorad Novovic, and Paul Bowen

Part 2—Modelling of cracking

Improved understanding of crack propagation in AGR graphite through the development of novel modelling techniques
Owen Booler

Cracking of AGR graphite components: an integrated modelling approach
Philippe Martinuzzi, Alexandre Gangnant, Dzifa Kudawoo, Samuel Baylis, Alan Steer, Lukasz Kaczmarczyk, and Chris Pearce

AGR brick model calibration and prediction using a response surface
Mark Pogson, Alexander Bond, and Peter Robinson

A data-led numerical investigation of keyway root cracking at shutdown
Alexander Bond, Peter Robinson, and Claire Watson

Development in the assessment of AGR graphite brick damage using the CBNA model
Huaguo Teng, Ian J Slater, Chris J Jones, Samuel Baylis, and Jonathan S Wright

Successes in statistical modelling of AGR core evolution
Simon Rookyard, Peter Robinson, and Mark Pogson

Part 3—Core component degradation experiments

The robustness of AGR graphite components: an analysis of inter-brick behaviour at the core periphery and an investigation of manufacturing and post-manufacturing causes of cracking in peripheral graphite components
Neil McLachlan, Samuel Baylis, Brian Gilliver, Steven Pountney, Paul Hutchinson, Peter Birkett, Peter Walker, and Hassan Salih

Shaking table testing to explore progressive failure of graphite bricks in an AGR core
Adam Crewe, Luiza Dihoru, Matt Dietz, Tony Horseman, Liam Turton, and Colin Taylor

Use of image recognition to investigate crack-pattern effects on seismic performance of an AGR core
Liam Turton, Adam Crewe, Luiza Dihoru, Matt Dietz, and Tony Horseman

Part 4—Whole-core assessments: damage tolerance

Core damage tolerance assessment: state of the art
Neil McLachlan

Development and application of user elements in ABAQUS/Explicit to improve the fidelity of whole-core modelling for seismic damage tolerance assessments
Robin Dickenson, Ben Wedd, John Sawyer, Moritz Lessmann, and Alan Steer

GCORE validation for large arrays of radially keyed bricks: simulated SCBs and sensitivity studies
Helen Sheehan, Heather Riley, and Alan Steer

Estimating low probabilities of failure to insert a control rod
Richard J Crawford and Craig B Clayton

SALCOR: simulation of local AGR core region with fragmented singly cracked bricks and their effect on core geometry
Steven Bazell and Neil McLachlan

Progress with core damage tolerance modelling using SOLFEC and PARMEC
Neil McLachlan, Tomasz Koziara, Philippe Martinuzzi, Steve Brasier, and Ben Cannell

SOLFEC and PARMEC software and the hybrid modelling approach
Tomasz Koziara, Steve Brasier, Ben Cannell, Philippe Martinuzzi, and Neil McLachlan

Verification, validation, comparison, and visualisation of whole-core models (including SOLFEC and PARMEC)
Philippe Martinuzzi, Dzifa Kudawoo, Tomasz Koziara, and Neil McLachlan

Application of SOLFEC and PARMEC dynamic analysis codes to AGR seismic analysis
Steve Brasier, Ben Cannell, Neil McLachlan, Tomasz Koziara, and Philippe Martinuzzi

Part 5—Graphite structure

The microstructure of nuclear graphite revealed by oxidation
Heinrich Badenhorst

Analyses of X-ray diffraction data obtained from unirradiated and irradiated Gilsocarbon graphite
James E Darnbrough, Keith R Hallam, Peter EJ Flewitt, and Mark R Bradford

Modelling of the combined void size distributions obtained for pycnometry, gas adsorption, and mercury porosimetry
Katie L Jones, Giuliano M Laudone, and G Peter Matthews

Part 6—Inspection, repair, and monitoring

Three-dimensional reconstruction of AGR fuel channels using RVI footage
Kristofer Law, Graeme West, Paul Murray, and Chris Lynch

Automated analysis of AGR fuel channel inspection videos
Michael Devereux, Paul Murray, Graeme West, Stephen Buckley-Mellor, Graeme Cocks, Chris Lynch, and Adam Fletcher

Extracting quantitative information on graphite weight loss from eddy current data
Patricia Verrier, Peter Robinson, and Claire Watson

Fuel channel bore estimation for onload pressurised fuel grab load trace data
Andrew Young, William Aylward, Paul Murray, Graeme West, Stephen McArthur, and Anna Rudge

Part 7—Modelling graphite properties and brick evolution

EDF Energy integrated material property model, version 1.2: supporting evidence and impact on brick cracking
Henry A. Cathcart, Mark Joyce, Mark A Davies, and Samuel Baylis

Calibration of with- and against-grain dimensional change using AGR moderator brick measurements
Kevin McNally, Muhammad Fahad, Graham N Hall, and Nicholas Warren

Validation of dimensional change modelling through outage expectations
Henry A Cathcart, Laurence O Chidwick, Mark Joyce, and Samuel Baylis

Effect of channel distortion and different graphite thermal-conductivity models on the prediction of graphite temperature
Jundi He, Shuisheng He, and Bing Xu

Part 8—Reports on panel discussions

Maximising confidence in predictions
Anthony H Harker

Managing conservatism in models
Chris Wheatley

Managing complexity in arguments
Mike Warnes

Author index
Keyword index