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Background: The potential effect of image noise artefacts on Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) analysis has not been thoroughly studied and, more particularly quantified, even though DVC is an emerging technique widely used in life and material science over the last decade. Objective: This paper presents the results of a sensitivity study to shed light on the effect of various noise artefacts on the full-field kinematic fields generated by DVC, both in zero and rigid body motion. Methods: Various noise artefacts were studied, including the Gaussian, Salt & Pepper, Speckle noise and embedded Ring Artefacts. A noise-free synthetic microstructure was generated using Discrete Element Modelling (DEM), representing an idealistic case, and acting as the reference dataset for the DVC analysis. Noise artefacts of various intensities (including selected extreme cases) were added to the reference image datasets using MATLAB (R2022) to form the outline of the parametric study. DVC analyses were subsequently conducted employing AVIZO (Thermo Fisher). A subset-based local approach was adopted. A three-dimensional version of the Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM) was used to define the similarity between the compared image datasets on each occasion. Sub-pixel rigid body motion was applied on the DEM-generated microstructure and subsequently "poisoned" with noise artefacts to evaluate mean bias and random error of the DVC analysis. Results: When the local approach is implemented, the sensitivity study on zero motion data revealed the insignificant effect of the Gaussian, Salt & Pepper, and Speckle noise on the DVC-computed kinematic field. Therefore, the presence of such noise artefacts can be neglected when DVC is executed. On the contrary, Ring Artefacts can pose a considerable challenge and therefore, DVC results need to be evaluated cautiously. A linear relationship between SSIM and the correlation index is observed for the same noise artefacts. Gaussian noise has a pronounced effect on the mean bias error for sub-pixel rigid body motion. Conclusions: Generating synthetic image datasets using DEM enabled the investigation of a variety of noise artefacts that potentially affect a DVC analysis. Given that, any microstructure – resembling the material studied – can be simulated and used for a DVC sensitivity analysis, supporting the user in appropriately evaluating the computed kinematic field. Even though the study is conducted for a two-phase material, the method elaborated in this paper also applies to heterogeneous multi-phase materials also. The conclusions drawn are valid within the environment of the AVIZO DVC extension module. Alternative DVC algorithms, utilising different approaches for the cross-correlation and the sub-pixel interpolation methods, need to be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fukushima Daiichi accident generated degraded nuclear fuel material, mixed with other reactor components, known as molten core-concrete interaction (MCCI) material. Simulant MCCI material was synthesised, excluding highly radioactive fission products, containing depleted U, and incorporating Ce as a surrogate for Pu. Multi-modal µ-focus X-ray analysis revealed the presence of the expected suite of U-Zr-O containing minerals, in addition to crystalline silicate phases CaSiO3, SiO2-cristobalite and Ce-bearing percleveite, (Ce,Nd)2Si2O7. The formation of perclevite resulted from reaction between the U-Zr-O-depleted Ce-Nd-O melt and the silicate (SiO2) melt. It was determined that the majority of U was present as U4+, whereas Ce was observed to be present as Ce3+, consistent with the highly reducing synthesis conditions. A range of Fe-containing phases characterised by different average oxidation states were identified, and it is hypothesised that their formation induced heterogeneity in the local oxygen potential, influencing the oxidation state of Ce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synchrotron X-rays have been used to study the oxidation of uranium and uranium hydride when encapsulated in grout and stored in de-ionised water for 10 months. Periodic synchrotron X-ray tomography and X-ray powder diffraction have allowed measurement and identification of the arising corrosion products and the rates of corrosion. The oxidation rates of the uranium metal and uranium hydride were slower than empirically derived rates previously reported for each reactant in an anoxic water system, but without encapsulation in grout. This was attributed to the grout acting as a physical barrier limiting the access of oxidising species to the uranium surface. Uranium hydride was observed to persist throughout the 10 month storage period and industrial consequences of this observed persistence are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]