TY - CONF A1 - Vlassopoulos, E. A1 - Caruso, S. A1 - Linnemann, Konrad A1 - Nasyrow, R. A1 - Gretter, R. A1 - Fongaro, L. A1 - Papaioannou, D. T1 - Mechanical integrity of spent nuclear fuel rods T2 - Proceedings of ANS Annual Meeting 2018 N2 - The properties of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) rods change significantly during their operation life in the reactor core. Further changes occur after their discharge mainly due to the heating-cooling processes and possible ageing associated with the cumulative effects of radioactive decay induce damage in the fuel. Such changes may affect the response of the SNF rods to mechanical solicitations corresponding to normal and accidental conditions. Research activities at JRC-KARLSRUHE aim at assessing the integrity of SNF rods and processes which might affect their mechanical properties during their interim storage, transport or other handling operations. JRC Hot Cell facilities have been fully adapted to fulfil the experimental goals. The number of experiments that can be performed, however, is limited and there is an acute need to model them, using this process to validate codes, to deeper understand and to extend the results gained at the JRC beyond the conditions that have been tested. For the experimental campaigns two devices for gravitational impact and 3-point bending tests were developed and installed in a hot cell. Segments of real SNF rods pressurized at their original pressures after discharge have been investigated. The setup is fully operational and new results are reported continuously. T2 - ANS Annual 2018 CY - Philadelphia, PA, USA DA - 17.06.2018 KW - Spent nuclear fuel KW - Mechanical testing KW - Hot cell testing PY - 2018 SP - 170 EP - 172 AN - OPUS4-44862 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -