Effects of applied load on formation and reorientation of zirconium hydrides: A multiphase field modeling study

The effects of applied load on the formation and reorientation δ hydrides in α-zirconium matrix are studied by a multiphase field model. Simulations with only one hydride seed indicate that occurs when tensile or compressive strain ~0.02 is along 112¯0 (hoop circumferential direction) 0001 (radial direction aligned basal pole direction), respectively. However, two-seed multi-seed simulations show significant influence neighboring required for reorientation, reducing it more than order magnitude making comparable to experimental results. Through phase-field simulations, this work suggests happens easily clusters present, external within elastic limit cladding material.