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DTRA’s advancements in nuclear and radiological detection
A new, more complex nuclear age has begun. Echoing the tensions of the Cold War amid rapidly evolving nuclear and radiological threats, preparedness in the modern age is a contest of scientific innovation. The Research and Development Directorate (RD) at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is charged with winning this contest.
Huajing Guo, Wenjie Tang, Xiaolong Tong
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 200 | Number 5 | May 2026 | Pages 1172-1182
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2025.2503124
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In order to resolve the fracture problem of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) under extreme high temperature, the creep fracture behavior of a RPV with a semielliptical surface crack has been studied in which the constraint effect was considered. The constraint effect near the crack tip was represented using the C*-A2 two-parameter method. The constraint-based creep crack propagation law was developed, and the creep crack propagation process of the cracked RPV was simulated at 900 K using the finite element method. The results show that a high constraint level occurred near the crack tip under extreme high temperature, which led to loss of fracture toughness of the cracked RPVs. The constraint effect level near the crack tip could be improved, and the creep transition time could be shortened because of the growth of the creep crack. It is illustrated that creep behavior and constraint effect are significant factors endangering the structural integrity of cracked RPVs by markedly accelerating crack propagation and shortening the lifetime of cracked RPVs.