Development of a Young’s modulus model for Gilsocarbon graphites irradiated in inert environments

Dimensional and material property changes caused by fast neutron damage, radiolytic oxidation or a combination of both have been measured over many years on the Gilsocarbon graphites. The data have been gathered together in a comprehensive database and are being used to develop dose–damage relationships of irradiated graphite material properties for use in irradiated graphite component stress analyses up to a fast neutron dose of ∼200 × 1020 n/cm2 equivalent DIDO nickel dose (EDND) in the temperature range ∼300–650 °C. This paper covers development and validation of an empirical model for Young’s modulus of Gilsocarbon graphite when irradiated in an inert environment. The new model provides a good fit over the range of the primary modelling variables: dose, irradiation temperature, and graphite group. The proposed model is convenient to use in component stress analysis, as it features an analytic function of temperature and dose that eliminates the need in the existing model for interpolation on those variables.