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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/L504725/1
Title: Fracture of Graphite Fuel Bricks
Principal Investigator: Mummery, Professor P
Other Investigators:
Jones, Professor AN Yates, Professor JR Marsden, Professor BJ
Schmidt, Dr MJJ
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Mechanical Aerospace and Civil Eng
Organisation: University of Manchester, The
Scheme: Technology Programme
Starts: 01 June 2013 Ends: 30 November 2015 Value (£): 413,476
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Energy - Nuclear
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The graphite core in nuclear Advanced Gas cooled Reactors (AGRs) provides channel for fuel cooling and shutdown/

control rod insertion. Damage tolerance assessments need to determine that adequate margins remain for the

integrity of the fuel and the safety systems proper behaviour. For UK existing plants, graphite bricks' cracking is a key

question regarding lifetime management decisions. For the next generation plants, it has an influence on expected lifetimes

and on investment plans.

The objective of this proposal is to gain a good understanding and evaluation of fracture in graphite components by

complementary numerical and experimental approaches. An advanced modelling tool allowing to simulate automatically

crack propagation in graphite bricks will be developed and transferred to industry end-users. An innovative experimental

method will be elaborated to validate these models. Uncertainties on the whole core mechanical behaviour will be

assessed.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Impacts
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Summary
Date Materialised
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Project URL:  
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.man.ac.uk