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. The current safety concept provides for a period in the range of 40 years forinterim storage of spent fuel elements. Since the requirement for proof ofsafety for to up to 100 years arises, the integrity of the spent fuel elementsin prolonged interim storage and long-term repositories is becoming a criticalissue. In response to this safety matter, this study aims to assess the impactof radiation-induced microstructures on the mechanical properties of spentfuel elements, in order to provide reliable structural performance limits andsafety margins. The physical processes involved in radiation damage and the effect ofradiation damage on mechanical properties are inherently multiscalar andhierarchical. Damage evolution under irradiation begins at the atomic scale,with primary knock-on atoms (PKAs) resulting in displacement cascades (primarydamage), followed by the defect clusters leading to microstructuraldeformations. In this context, we have developed and applied a multiscalesimulation methodology consistent with the multistage damage mechanisms andthe corresponding effects on the mechanical properties of spent fuel claddingand its integrity. Within the improved hierarchical modelling sequence, theeffect of the radiation field on the fuel element cladding material(Zircalloy-4) is assessed using Monte Carlo methods. A molecular dynamicsmethod is employed to model damage formation by PKAs and primary damage defectconfigurations. The formation of clusters and evolution of microstructures aresimulated by extending the simulation sequence to a longer time scale with thekinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) method. Transferring the calculated radiation-induced microstructures into macroscopicquantities is ultimately decisive for the structural/mechanical behaviour andstability of the cladding material, and thus for long-term integrity of thespent fuel elements. Results of the multiscale modelling and simulations aswell as a comparison with experimental results will be presented at theconference session.

Impact of Radiation-Induced Microstructures on the Integrity of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Elements in Long-Term Storage