Developing a non-destructive evaluation technique using resonance ultrasound spectroscopy for fission based target

Abstract

*The purpose of this thesis is to study Resonance Ultrasound Spectroscopy(RUS) and it's potential to evaluate the change in interfacial thermal resistance due to irradiation. Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy is conventionally used to determine the material properties of elastic bodies. It is a nondestructive technique that is very capable of extracting the elastic constants for a complete anisotropic material. Finite Element Method(FEM) is used to determine the natural frequency of a hollow cylinder. FEM was used due to the shape of the object. An experimental system was developed to capture the resonant frequencies of a hollow cylinder which is similar to Molybdenum-99 target. After successfully determining the resonance frequencies from the spectra, the frequencies were inverted to the elastic constants using the finite element model. Radiation effects on elastic constants was also studied. An investigation was made to assess the usefulness of RUS in in evaluating radiation damage of materials. An experimental study was also completed to analyze the differences in RUS spectra in a contact pressure analysis between two cylinders of a Molybdenum-99 target.