The United States-High Performance Research Reactor (USHPRR) program’s objective is to reduce the amount of highly enriched uranium (HEU) currently implemented in research reactors. The conversion of these research reactors requires the design of a monolithic U10Mo plate fuel, with the geometry of the fuel plate being dependent on each research reactor. The process of forming the plates includes a Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) to manufacture a prototypic plate. In the case of the MURR DDE plate manufacture, plates that have been though HIP are then curved by using dies and a hydraulic press to impart the desired curvature. Both fabrication processes impart residual stresses into each region of the fuel plate, with the curvature of the plates taking some regions of the fuel plate up to their material yield stresses, accompanied by plastic strain. The amount of plastic strain and stress imparted onto each Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) Design Demonstration Elements (DEE) plate is determined by the radius of curvature, thickness of each region, and the overall width of the fuel plates. This work aims to predict the yield stresses and strain using ABAQUS to simulate the proposed fabrication process of the MURR DDE plates, accompanied by discussion over the stresses and strains as to their relation to nuclear fuel performance, and the impact they will have during early irradiation.
