Simulation of spall fracture of uranium at different temperatures in the region of polymorphic phase transitions

Abstract

This paper presents the results of numerical simulation of Zaretskii’s experiments on loading of natural uranium in the phase-transition region at temperatures of 27–862°C. Simulation of these experiments is of interest because of the observed features of spall fracture of uranium in the phase-transition region. Spall fracture and compaction was simulated using the DGC-L model of the dynamics of growth and compaction in a liquid medium, which takes into account the effect of strength properties, pressure, surface tension, viscosity, and inertial forces on the growth and collapse of pores. Calculations were carried out according to the UP program— a Lagrangian method for calculating deformation problems of continuum mechanics in a onedimensional approximation.