Modeling Radiation Effects on the Fracture Process in Simplified Nuclear Glass

Abstract

Experimentally, the evolution of several mechanic properties (hardness, density, Young’s modulus, fracture toughness) is observed in nuclear glasses under irradiation. In this work, classical molecular dynamics calculations are performed to better understand fracture mechanisms in simplified nuclear glasses at atomistic scale and to explain the radiation effects. Fractures are simulated in more disordered glasses, representative of irradiated samples, to reveal radiation effects. We observe a lower elastic limit and a greater plasticity in the irradiated glass that can explain its larger fracture toughness.