Peridynamic Thermo-Mechanical Modeling of Cracking in Tungsten under Fusion-Relevant Heat Fluxes
Abstract
Plasma-facing materials (PFMs) are the primary armor materials in fusion reactors, protecting reactor wall components from extreme heat fluxes, energetic particles, and intense neutron irradiation. These harsh conditions induce thermo-mechanical stresses, irradiation damage, and overall degradation in PFMs. Among these, thermo-mechanical damage induced by extreme heat flux is one of the key factors limiting the lifetime of PFMs. We present a modeling and simulation approach for predicting thermo-mechanical cracking and damage in tungsten, a leading PFM candidate, under fusion-reactor-relevant heat fluxes. Specifically, we study damage induced by cyclic electron beam (e-beam) exposure under different combinations of base temperature and heat flux. We carry out component-scale thermo-mechanical simulations using CabanaPD, a peridynamics fracture mechanics code, informed by experimental data for recrystallized pure tungsten from the JUDITH e-beam facility. The simulations compare well with the experimental classification and enable identification of cracking thresholds across a range of heat fluxes and base temperatures. These predictions can provide detailed insights into the spatial distribution and temporal accumulation of cracks and damage, while offering a pathway for screening candidate PFMs and quantifying their lifespan under fusion-relevant conditions.
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BibTeX
@misc{juneja2026peridynamic,
title = {{Peridynamic Thermo-Mechanical Modeling of Cracking in Tungsten under Fusion-Relevant Heat Fluxes}},
author = {Rinkle Juneja and Pablo Seleson and Samuel Temple Reeve and Justin Weinmeister and Gary Staebler},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.30356},
eprint = {2610.30356},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.30356},
note = {CC BY-NC-SA 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Peridynamic Thermo-Mechanical Modeling of Cracking in Tungsten under Fusion-Relevant Heat Fluxes
AU - Rinkle Juneja
AU - Pablo Seleson
AU - Samuel Temple Reeve
AU - Justin Weinmeister
AU - Gary Staebler
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.30356
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.30356
AB - Plasma-facing materials (PFMs) are the primary armor materials in fusion reactors, protecting reactor wall components from extreme heat fluxes, energetic particles, and intense neutron irradiation. These harsh conditions induce thermo-mechanical stresses, irradiation damage, and overall degradation in PFMs. Among these, thermo-mechanical damage induced by extreme heat flux is one of the key factors limiting the lifetime of PFMs. We present a modeling and simulation approach for predicting thermo-mechanical cracking and damage in tungsten, a leading PFM candidate, under fusion-reactor-relevant heat fluxes. Specifically, we study damage induced by cyclic electron beam (e-beam) exposure under different combinations of base temperature and heat flux. We carry out component-scale thermo-mechanical simulations using CabanaPD, a peridynamics fracture mechanics code, informed by experimental data for recrystallized pure tungsten from the JUDITH e-beam facility. The simulations compare well with the experimental classification and enable identification of cracking thresholds across a range of heat fluxes and base temperatures. These predictions can provide detailed insights into the spatial distribution and temporal accumulation of cracks and damage, while offering a pathway for screening candidate PFMs and quantifying their lifespan under fusion-relevant conditions.
ER -