Deformation and fracture of zirconium alloy at low temperatures

This paper describes the results of an experimental study on deformation and fracture of a $\mathrm{Zr}$ – $1\%\mathrm{Nb}$ zirconium alloy in the case of multiple loads at low temperatures ($-80^\circ$C). Samples cut out of pipes and applied as fuel rod shells of heat releasing assemblies of nuclear reactors are used to conduct a series of experiments on low-cycle stretching and compression at low temperatures and study the effect of low temperature on stress relaxation in the material under a different number of preliminary loads.