Effects of mineral composition of aggregates on volume expansion and elastic properties evolution caused by neutron irradiation

The radiation-induced volumetric expansion and mechanical properties of different types of irradiated aggregates are affected to varying degrees, and the effects of mineral composition of irradiated aggregates on the volume expansion and elastic modulus are not completely clarified. In this study, the prediction models for the crack volume and effective elastic moduli of irradiated aggregates were established based on the model of the polycrystalline assemblage of minerals and the self-consistent scheme, and the influence of randomness of mineral composition on the volume expansion and effective elastic moduli of irradiated aggregates was further analyzed. The predictions of the RIVE and effective elastic moduli of irradiated aggregates were in good agreement with the test reactor data in the references. The results show that the randomness of volume expansion and effective elastic moduli of irradiated aggregates is dominated by the uncertainty in the crack volume of irradiated aggregates, and it can be estimated for a specific aggregate based on the variability of the quartz content. The findings provide a foundation for predicting the probability-based degradation of mechanical properties of irradiated concrete based on the mineral composition of aggregates.