Fracture of hydrided Zircaloy-4 sheet under through-thickness crack growth conditions

The failure of thin-wall components such as fuel cladding may be caused by crack initiation on the component surface and subsequent crack growth through its thickness. This study has determined the fracture toughness of hydrided cold-worked stress relieved Zircaloy-4 sheet subject to through-thickness crack growth at 25°C. The experimental approach utilizes a novel procedure in which a narrow linear strip of brittle hydride blister across the specimen width creates a well-defined pre-crack upon initial loading. The subsequent crack growth resistance is then characterized by four-point bending of the specimen and an elastic-plastic fracture mechanics analysis. At room temperature, the through-thickness fracture toughness (K_Q) is sensitive to the orientation of the hydride platelets, and K_Q ≅ 25 MPa√m for crack growth through a mixed in-plane/out-of-plane hydride field. In contrast, K_Q is much higher (= 75 MPa√m) when the hydride platelets are oriented predominantly in the plane of the sheet (and therefore normal to both the crack plane and the crack growth direction). The implication of these fracture toughness values to the fracture strain behavior of hydrided Zircaloy-4 under through-thickness crack growth conditions is illustrated.