Multiscale Study Research Articles

Impact of urban space on PM2.5 distribution: A multiscale and seasonal study in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration

Despite concerted efforts in emission control, air pollution control remains challenging. Urban planning has emerged as a crucial strategy for mitigating PM2.5 pollution. What remains unclear is the impact of urban form and their interactions with seasonal changes. In this study, base on the air quality monitoring stations in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, the relationship between urban spatial indicators (building morphology and land use) and PM2.5 concentrations was investigated using full subset regression and variance partitioning analysis, and seasonal differences were further analysed. Our findings reveal that PM2.5 pollution exhibits different sensitivities to spatial scales, with higher sensitivity to the local microclimate formed by the three-dimensional structure of buildings at the local scale, while land use exerts greater influence at larger scales. Specifically, land use indicators contributed sustantially more to the PM2.5 prediction model as buffer zone expand (from an average of 2.41% at 100 m range to 47.30% at 5000 m range), whereas building morphology indicators display an inverse trend (from an average of 13.84% at 100 m range to 1.88% at 5000 m range). These results enderscore the importance of considering building morphology in local-scale urban planning, where the increasing building height can significantly enhance the disperion of PM2.5 pollution. Conversely, large-scale urban planning should prioritize the mixed use of green spaces and construction lands to mitigate PM2.5 pollution. Moreover, the significant seasonal differences in the ralationship between urban spatical indicatiors and PM2.5 pollution were observed. Particularly moteworthy is the heightened association between forest, water indicators and PM2.5 concentrations in summer, indicating the urban forests may facilitate the formation of volatile compunds, exacerbating the PM2.5 pollution. Our study provides a theoretical basis for addressing scale-related challenges in urban spatial planning, thereby forstering the sustainable development of cities.

Geomorphology and evolution of the Blanes Canyon (NW Mediterranean). New insights from high resolution mapping of vertical cliffs

The geomorphology of the Blanes submarine canyon has been characterized based on the analysis of high-resolution hull-mounted multibeam bathymetry (up to 5 m grid size). Additionally, the Hybrid Remotely Operated Vehicle (H-ROV) Ariane was used to map with unprecedented detail (80 cm grid size) the morphology of vertical rockwalls on the canyon flanks, and the ROV Liropus was used to acquire high-resolution video footage on the same walls. The Blanes Canyon exposes well stratified Miocene and Plio-Quaternary successions dipping towards a SW direction, which are affected by NE-SW and NW-SE oriented fault systems that played an important role in the canyon development. Its structural character is evidenced by the rectilinear trajectories and sharp bends of the canyon axis and rims, the alignment of pockmark fields and the presence of vertical rockwalls. The canyon transversal profile is markedly asymmetric due to the underlying stratigraphy. The eastern flank, corresponding to the cataclinal slope characterized by strata beds dipping in the same direction as the slope, is smooth and mainly dominated by slides and toe gullies. The western flank, corresponding to the anaclinal slope facing opposite to the dip of the strata, is steeper and dominated by a dendritic network of rim gullies. H-ROV bathymetric maps and video footage of vertical walls display a wide variety of fine-scale morphological elements that evidence ongoing mass wasting and gully development as the main mechanisms involved in canyon wall retrogression. The multi-scale study of the Blanes Canyon has allowed a better characterization of the erosive processes involved in the broadening of submarine canyons and retrogression of the walls, thus contributing to the better understanding of the evolution of submarine canyons developed in tectonically controlled stratigraphic bedded sequences.

A Multiscale study of flexible customer’s energy demand under smart grid architecture: A modeling and simulation study

A Multiscale study of flexible customer’s energy demand under smart grid architecture: A modeling and simulation study

Effect of isothermal aging on Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide): Correlation between chemical structure and phase transition temperature property

Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) is a stimuli-responsive polymer with wide applications as a scaffold in biomedical applications. This study presents the PNIPAm's thermoresponsive behavior during storage and its stability in potential pharmaceutical formulations as a drug delivery excipient. Therefore, the turbidity curves of linear PNIPAm aqueous solutions are investigated before and after its thermal oxidation under air at 120°C and 130°C. First, PNIPAm aqueous phase separation diagram is determined for unaged polymer and then compared to thermally aged samples at two distinct points (1 and 10%(w/w)). After isothermal aging, the transition temperature has increased with a shift up to 4°C. The correlation between PNIPAm's chemical structure and phase transition temperature properties is illustrated in terms of chemical modifications, macromolecular changes as well as the polar/non-polar groups balance. It is observed that the water affinity and glass transition temperature (Tg) have increased at the macromolecular level. In addition, chains scissions are highlighted and seem to explain the shift of transition temperature. Chemical changes have revealed the presence of supplementary polar groups induced by aging. This multiscale study suggests a possible mechanism for the partial thermal oxidation based on all the observations.

Functional Segregation of Resource Utilization Strategies between Invasive and Native Plants and Invasion Mechanisms in the Water Level Fluctuation Zone: A Case Study of Pengxi River in Three Gorges Reservoir, China

The ecosystem of the water level fluctuation (WLF) zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) is highly vulnerable and sensitive due to its unique cyclical flooding and drought conditions. The ecological impact of biological invasion in this area is particularly severe, making it crucial to study the differences in resource utilization strategies between invasive plants (IPs) and native plants (NPs) using functional traits to explore the mechanisms of invasion. We selected the WLF zone of Pengxi River in the TGR area and conducted a multi-scale study along the elevation gradient. The results reveal that at the regional scale, IPs have a larger height and specific leaf area, smaller leaf tissue density, and specific root length compared to NPs, showing a preference for enhancing aboveground resource acquisition over leaf defense capabilities. They allocate more tissue construction resources to their roots to withstand environmental pressures, which may be the key to their successful intrusion, highlighting the role of niche differentiation. On the community scale, the H and SLA of IPs and NPs are positively correlated with elevation, while the LTD of IPs shows a negative correlation. At elevations of 175 m and below, IP and NP exhibit functional convergence, while above 175 m, functional divergence was observed. This indicates that although the different resource utilization strategies are crucial for successful IP invasion, the environmental filtering from periodic floods and drought pressures play a significant role in community assembly in the WLF zone, allowing IP to integrate into habitats with similar functional characteristics already inhabited by NP and establish their own communities.

Multi-scale study on the mechanical properties of concrete based on crack propagation under hygrothermal coupling

During the long-term service of structures, the environmental temperature and humidity fields can lead to the evolution of the pore structure within concrete materials, thereby affecting changes in mechanical properties. However, the mechanisms of their influence still need further clarification and are challenging to correlate for prediction. Addressing this specific issue, the current study focuses on evaluating 78 cubic concrete specimens with C30 and C40 strength grades. These specimens were subjected to a 95 % humidity environment at temperatures of 40 °C, 60 °C, and 80 °C for durations of 30, 60, and 90 days. The research involved conducting both microstructural and macroscopic mechanical tests to quantify the evolution of internal hydrates, pore structures, and pore distribution, as well as to assess the changes in the macroscopic mechanical properties of the specimens. To accurately predict the process, a multiscale finite element model (FEM) based on the bilinear continuum cohesive damage model was established. This model quantifies the changes in mechanical properties of mesoscopic three-phase concrete due to microcrack evolution under hygrothermal coupling. To facilitate multiscale simulations between the Representative Volume Element (RVE) and macroscopic scale models, relevant subroutines were written using Umath, and parallel computing was employed to reduce the computational burden. For the macroscopic model in this study, a homogenized concrete cube model with dimensions identical to the experimental specimens was selected. The effectiveness of the parallel computational model was validated by comparing and analyzing the simulation results under uniaxial compression with the experimental data. The findings indicate that hygrothermal action leads to the initiation and expansion of microcracks within the concrete, thereby impacting the alteration of its mechanical properties. In addition, the parallel computing-based multiscale FEM can more accurately quantify the typical damage process of crack propagation while reducing the computational load and may provide relatively accurate predictions of the mechanical characteristics of concrete under the influence of hygrothermal coupling, ensuring effective modeling of macroscopic structural specimens in various temperature and humidity environments.

Real-Size Reconstruction of Porous Media Using the Example of Fused Filament Fabrication 3D-Printed Rock Analogues

The multi-scale study of rock properties is a necessary step in the planning of oil and gas reservoir developments. The amount of core samples available for research is usually limited, and some of the samples can be distracted. The investigation of core reconstruction possibilities is an important task. An approach to the real-size reconstruction of porous media with a given (target) porosity and permeability by controlling the parameters of FFF 3D printing using CT images of the original core is proposed. Real-size synthetic core specimens based on CT images were manufactured using FFF 3D printing. The possibility of reconstructing the reservoir properties of a sandstone core sample was proven. The results of gas porometry measurements showed that the porosity of specimens No.32 and No.46 was 13.5% and 12.8%, and the permeability was 442.3 mD and 337.8 mD, respectively. The porosity of the original core was 14% and permeability was 271 mD. It was found that changing the layer height and nozzle diameter, as well as the retract and restart distances, has a direct effect on the porosity and permeability of synthetic specimens. This study shows that porosity and permeability of synthetic specimens depend on the flow of the material and the percentage of overlap between the infill and the outer wall.

Multiscale study of reactive transport and multiphase heat transfer processes in catalyst layers of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Improving the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) requires deep understanding of the reactive transport processes inside the catalyst layers (CLs). In this study, a particle-overlapping model is developed for accurately describing the hierarchical structures and oxygen reactive transport processes in CLs. The analytical solutions derived from this model indicate that carbon particle overlap increases ionomer thickness, reduces specific surface areas of ionomer and carbon, and further intensifies the local oxygen transport resistance (Rother). The relationship between Rother and roughness factor predicted by the model in the range of 800-1600 s m-1 agrees well with the experiments. Then, a multiscale model is developed by coupling the particle-overlapping model with cell-scale models, which is validated by comparing with the polarization curves and local current density distribution obtained in experiments. The relative error of local current density distribution is below 15% in the ohmic polarization region. Finally, the multiscale model is employed to explore effects of CL structural parameters including Pt loading, I/C, ionomer coverage and carbon particle radius on the cell performance as well as the phase-change-induced (PCI) flow and capillary-driven (CD) flow in CL. The result demonstrates that the CL structural parameters have significant effects on the cell performance as well as the PCI and CD flows. Optimizing the CL structure can increase the current density and further enhance the heat-pipe effect within the CL, leading to overall higher PCI and CD rates. The maximum increase of PCI and CD rates can exceed 145%. Besides, the enhanced heat-pipe effect causes the reverse flow regions of PCI and CD near the CL/PEM interface, which can occupy about 30% of the CL. The multiscale model significantly contributes to a deep understanding of reactive transport and multiphase heat transfer processes inside PEMFCs.

Multi-scale study on strength development, hydration behavior and phase evolution of recycled powder multi component cementitious materials

Recycled powder (RP) is considered to be a successful low-carbon alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). However, the microstructure and synergistic mechanism of RP multi-component cementitious materials (RP-MCCM) after physical activation are still unclear. The purpose of this study is to study the strength development, hydration and phase structure evolution of MCCM by constructing RP-MCCM. When the content of RP after grinding activation is 30% (C70RG30), its 28 days compressive strength is increased by 7.6% on the basis of non-activation. Compared with the ternary system of RP and FA mixed with 15% (C70RG15F15), its 28 days compressive strength increased by 8.08%. After RP incorporation, the Al-OH is enhanced, the C-O and CO32- bonds peaks become narrower, and the S is evenly distributed, which is beneficial to the increase of the AFt and the CaCO3 content, but weakens the C-S-H and C-A-H phases. In the C70RG15F15 ternary system, CaCO3, Ca(OH)2, and SiO2 nanostructures are tightly bonded together without obvious faults, which improves the structural compactness and strength. RP grinding activation is mainly manifested in surface improvement, internal C-S-H activation and increase of active sites.

Li-decorated C48B12 and Li12C48B12-impregnated MOF-5 for hydrogen storage: A multi-scale simulation study

In this study, we employed density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the adsorption sites and quantities of Li atoms on the C48B12 surface. Additionally, we examined the hydrogen adsorption properties of the formed Li12C48B12 through ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. Our AIMD simulations confirmed the stability of adsorbed Li atoms on the C48B12 surface, computed adsorbed H2 quantities, and predicted gravimetric densities of H2 adsorption on Li12C48B12 at 77 K and 298 K. Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations explored the H2 gravimetric densities of pure MOF-5, C48B12-impregnated MOF-5, and Li12C48B12-impregnated MOF-5 at 77 K and 298 K within 100 bar. Li doping on the C48B12 surface did not significantly enhance the gravimetric densities of H2 in MOF-5 but enhanced the stability of H2 adsorption in MOF-5.

Tooth wear analyses track niche partitioning at Gerakarou, a 1.8 Ma old site from Greece

The climatic instability of the Early Pleistocene induced regional paleoenvironmental changes, which impacted faunal composition and dynamics. It coincides with the Homo dispersal out of Africa. The role played by the Eastern Balkans in this dispersal is at the heart of current scientific debates. The rich fossil assemblage of Gerakarou-1 (2–1.8 Ma; northern Greece) can provide important insight into the environmental conditions of that time and area. In this study, we provide insights into the dietary habits of the herbivore guild of Gerakarou-1 at both short and long-term scales based on two complementary dental proxies, mesowear and microwear textures applied on 70 specimens and we infer the local paleoecology and paleoenvironment. As diet varies between and among populations within the same species, we conduct a population-level study, including a reference dataset of 144 extant individuals belonging to six populations of ruminants with well-known ecology. As we aim to contribute to the collective effort of the community to improve the mesowear methodology, we propose and discuss here the benefits of an alternative, quantitative Geometric Morphometric approach. We show that the occlusal relief, as calculated in the classical mesowear approach, is a variable of little relevance and that the quantitative approach allows better discrimination between dietary categories. By proposing for the first time a multi-scale and multi-proxies study of the entire herbivore guild at Gerakarou-1, we nuance and clarify the paleoecology and niche-partitioning of the ungulates from this site and improve past paleoenvironmental interpretations.

A multiscale study of the influence of aggregate type on adhesion at the asphalt–aggregate interface

In order to examine the influence of aggregate type on the asphalt–aggregate interface, the adhesion performance between asphalt and aggregate was investigated at three scales. The pull-out test was conducted on asphalt and three kinds of aggregates at the macroscale to directly estimate the adhesion performance between them. At the microscale, the surface energies between asphalt and limestone, basalt, and andesite were examined through a surface energy experiment, and then the adhesion and debonding work were assessed. At the nanoscale, the interfacial behavior between six mineral compositions (SiO2, CaO, MgO, Al2O3, Fe2O3, and Na2O) of these aggregates and asphalt was determined using molecular dynamics simulation. The correlation of adhesion work at the microscale and nanoscale was further explored to unveil the bonding mechanisms between asphalt and aggregate. The macroscale results indicate that the adhesion force of andesite is slightly greater than that of limestone, probably because andesite has a greater surface roughness than limestone. The microscale results show the best adhesion and water stability between asphalt and limestone. The finding further explains that alkaline aggregates exhibit superior interfacial adhesion to asphalt. The nanoscale results show that the adhesion work of alkaline oxides with asphalt is more significant than that of acidic oxides with asphalt. Limestone and basalt have better adhesion to asphalt due to higher alkaline oxide content, while andesite has poorer adhesion to asphalt due to lower alkaline oxide and higher SiO2 content. The interfacial adhesion work increases from the microscale to the nanoscale by a factor of 2.91–4.75.

Theoretical Insights into the Photophysical Properties of 4CzIPN Doped in Different Hosts: A Multiscale Study.

As a typical thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitter with green emission, 4CzIPN has attracted much attention recently. Most studies indicated that 4CzIPN doped in different hosts presented different performances; thus, the hosts should have an obvious influence on its photophysical properties. Herein, the influence of four kinds of hosts, including m-CzPym, m-CzTrz, p-CzPym, and p-CzTrz, on the photophysical properties of 4CzIPN is investigated. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to simulate the host-guest conformations, and the photophysical properties were studied using the combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics method coupled with the thermal-vibration correlation function method. It is found that 4CzIPN in doped films has larger transition dipole moments and spin-orbital coupling constants compared to that in nondoped films. Faster radiative decay, intersystem crossing rates, and higher fluorescence efficiency could be obtained in doped films. Our work helps to better understand the photophysical properties of 4CzIPN in doped films and may favor the design of new hosts.

Importance of cohesive failure mode in fracture toughness enhancement of polymer nanocomposites with covalent grafting: A multiscale study

The covalent grafting between the nanoparticles and polymer matrix is considered a useful design factor to control the mechanical properties (e.g., fracture toughness). Meanwhile, in the theoretical viewpoint, the toughening mechanisms of the epoxy nanocomposites with covalent grafting are still unclear. In this study, a new multiscale fracture model is proposed to quantify the toughness enhancement of epoxy nanocomposites induced by the covalent grafting. Especially, it was concentrated on the investigation of the influences of the cohesive failure mode on the fracture toughness and revealed that the failure mode transition (from the adhesive failure mode to cohesive failure mode) near the nanoparticles with increasing grafting ratio is critical factor for the toughening mechanisms of the epoxy nanocomposites with covalent grafting. The theoretically derived multiscale model demonstrated that the cohesive failure mode significantly enhanced the fracture toughness of polymer nanocomposites by dissipating more energy compared to the adhesive failure mode. This study underscores the critical importance of rationally designing nanocomposites with an optimal grafting ratio that properly reflects the cohesive failure mode. It is anticipated that the multiscale analysis approach outlined in this study will provide valuable design guidelines and insights for polymer nanocomposites incorporating covalent grafting.

Multi-scale comprehensive study of the dynamic evolution of permeability during hydrate dissociation in clayey silt hydrate-bearing sediments

Multi-scale comprehensive study of the dynamic evolution of permeability during hydrate dissociation in clayey silt hydrate-bearing sediments

A multi-technique and multiscale comparative study on the efficiency of conservation methods for the stabilisation of waterlogged archaeological pine

Archaeological wood can be preserved in waterlogged conditions. Due to their degradation in the ground, these archaeological remains are endangered after their discovery, since they decay irretrievably during drying. Conservation measures are used to preserve waterlogged archaeological objects, maintaining their shape and character as much as possible. However, different methods have been developed leading to varying results. This study compares their effectiveness in order to clarify their mode of action. The methods including alcohol-ether resin, lactitol/trehalose, melamine formaldehyde, polyethylene glycol impregnation prior to freeze–drying, saccharose and silicone oil were assessed by analysing mass changes and volume stability using structured-light 3D scanning. The state of the conserved wood samples including the spatial distribution of the conservation agent was examined using synchrotron micro-computed tomography. Raman spectroscopy was used to observe the agent´s spatial distribution within the cells. The findings demonstrated that melamine formaldehyde stabilises the degraded cell walls. The lumens are void, as in the case with alcohol-ether resin, while polyethylene glycol, silicone oil, saccharose and lactitol/trehalose also occupy the lumens. It is assumed that the drying method has an effect on the distribution of the solidifying agent. The knowledge gained affords insights into the mechanism of conservation methods, which in turn accounts for the varied outcomes. It also allows conclusions to be drawn about the condition and stability of conserved museum objects and serves as a starting point for the further development of conservation methods.

Multiscale simulation study on radiation aging of EPDM and preparation of radiation-resistant materials

With the wide application of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) in the field of nuclear engineering, exploring the radiation aging mechanism of EPDM is of great significance to improve the radiation resistance of EPDM composites. In this paper, the radiation aging mechanism of EPDM was investigated by a combination of experiments and multiscale simulations, and EPDM composites with excellent radiation resistance were prepared. The radiation aging mechanism of EPDM involves the crosslinking and degradation of molecular chains. The aging of EPDM starts from the breakage of α-H in the 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene monomer. In addition, the screening strategy of radiation-resistant additives was proposed. Antioxidants N, N′-diphenyl-p-phenylene-diamine (H), N, N′-ditolyl-p-phenylenediamine (DTPD), and N, N′-di-2-naphthyl-p-phenylenediamine (DNP) were taken as the main research objects, and quantitative analysis was carried out from the aspects of chemical protection and physical protection. The screening results showed that DNP has excellent radiation resistance and migration resistance. The prepared EPDM-DNP composites showed outstanding radiation resistance with 94% tensile strength retention after 300 kGy irradiation. This work contributes to understand the mechanisms of radiation-induced material damage and guides the design of radiation-resistant materials.

Compatibility of PCM modified asphalt based on naphthenic oil modification: A multiscale study

In this study, the compatibility of phase change material(PCM) in asphalt was investigated using several methods. Initially, solubility parameters, radial distribution functions, and relative concentrations of PCM modified asphalt were examined through molecular simulations to explore its compatibility. Subsequently, the phase structures of different PCM modified asphalt were analyzed using fluorescence microscopy experiments on both upper and lower samples. Finally, the compatibility differences among PCM modified asphalt samples with varying naphthenic oil contents were evaluated through softening point and Brookfield viscosity tests. The results indicate that higher naphthenic oil content in encapsulated PCM leads to closer solubility parameter alignment with the base asphalt. At a naphthenic oil content of 50% in encapsulated PCM, significant interactions occur between PCM and asphalt components. The concentration distribution curve of PCM molecules in the asphalt approaches 1.0, indicating excellent compatibility between encapsulated PCM and asphalt. Overall, the results from fluorescence microscopy and conventional tests are consistent with simulation outcomes. The only discrepancy observed is that conventional experimental results for the PCM-60% sample slightly outperform those for the PCM-50% sample.

Multiscale characterisation study on the effect of heat treatment on the microstructure of additively manufactured 316L stainless steel

Additively manufactured 316L components are known to exhibit complex three-dimensional microstructures on multiple length-scales. The effect of heat treatment on the stability of grains and dislocation cell structures within the microstructure has previously been investigated but there are appreciable disagreements surrounding the nature of the texture that is present in the specimens, and there is also limited published work on the compositional homogeneity of specimens, particularly on the atomic scale, after heat treatments. In this study, we investigate the effect of applying two different heat treatments to 316L components produced by laser powder bed fusion before characterising them using a combination of electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. The importance of using multiple characterisation techniques, which span from the nanometre to micrometre scale, in addition to carefully and accurately describing analysis methods when investigating the evolution of the microstructure of additively manufactured 316L steels is demonstrated. Our EBSD (Electron Back Scatter Diffraction) results show the presence of a strong texture in the build direction of the samples, and a reduction in morphological texture as a result of heat treatment. TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) results indicate a dissolution of the dislocation cell structure that forms during solidification. Atom probe tomography was used to investigate compositional homogeneity in the samples and indicated that there are regions enriched in Cr, Mn, Mo, and Ni in the As-Printed samples that are likely associated with the dislocation cell walls. The atom probe results also reveal the presence of impurities, such as Co, which were not detected in the feedstock powder.

Multiscale computational study to predict the irradiation-induced change in engineering properties of fusion reactor materials

In this study, we address the impact of irradiation conditions in a tokamak on the engineering properties of materials, leading to potential degradation of in-vessel components over their lifecycle. Our approach involves a predictive model for irradiation-induced damage, employing a multiscale computational framework. This framework integrates various simulation techniques, including Monte Carlo-based neutronics (OpenMC), dislocation dynamics (DD) using MoDELib, and finite element analysis (FEA) with Code_Aster. This integration offers a versatile solver capable of analysing tokamak components exposed to different irradiation doses and temperature conditions.To showcase the utility of this multiscale computational framework, we present a case study focused on tungsten monoblock designs. We assess the failure probabilities of these designs at different stages of their lifecycle. Neutron heating and damage energy values are obtained from OpenMC neutronics simulations. The neutron heating values serve as volumetric heat sources for the FEA thermal simulation. We calculate the displacement per atom (dpa) across the monoblock at various full power days (day 0, day 100, and day 1000) using the damage energy values. The irradiation-induced defect densities, dependent on temperature and dpa, are inputs to DD microstructural simulations performed on the representative volume element (RVE) using MoDELib. This allows us to obtain the yield stress of the material. Subsequently, the thermal fields from the FEA thermal simulation, along with the dpa and temperature-dependent yield stress from the DD simulation, are implemented for FEA mechanical simulations.To evaluate the failure probability of the monoblock designs at different stages of their lifecycle, we conduct an SDC-IC assessment, incorporating a plastic flow localization rule within the current framework. This comprehensive approach provides insights into the thermo-mechanical behaviour of in-vessel components subjected to neutron irradiation, offering a predictive capability for assessing their performance over time.