Residual stress relief effect in gradient structural steel and remaining life evaluation under stochastic fatigue loads

Qin, T. Y.*; Hu, F. F.*; Xu, P. G.; Zhang, R.*; Su, Y. H.; Ao, N.*; Li, Z. W.*; Shinohara, Takenao; Shobu, Takahisa; Wu, S. C.*

International Journal of Fatigue, 202, p.109233_1 - 109233_16, 2026/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2025.109233

Gamma-ray spectral deconvolution using an unsupervised deep learning model for radioisotope identification with CsI(Tl) spectrometer for field use

Kimura, Yoshiki; Yamaguchi, Tomoki

Radioisotopes, 74(3), p.251 - 264, 2025/11

https://doi.org/10.3769/radioisotopes.740301

Radioisotope identification (RIID) by gamma-ray spectral analysis has been widely used, and accurate identification of radioisotopes is an important issue in various fields. Handheld instruments are commonly used for on-site RIID but often suffer from limited performance. This paper proposes a spectral deconvolution using unsupervised neural network models for RIID with handheld instruments in field use. This approach allows optimization of the neural network for deconvolution based on a measured spectrum combined with an energy-broadening matrix, and it does not require extensive training datasets or the precise modeling of the detector and measurement conditions. The performance of the proposed approach was examined in simulated and measured spectra, assuming the measurements of several radioisotopes with CsI(Tl) spectrometers. It was demonstrated that the unsupervised neural network models can improve the peak resolution more significantly compared to conventional deconvolution algorithms and contribute to RIID performance in the low energy resolution spectra.

Influence of steam flow rate on oxidation kinetics of silicon carbide at 1400-1600 C

Pham, V. H.; Kurata, Masaki; Nagae, Yuji; Ishibashi, Ryo*; Sasaki, Masana*

Corrosion Science, 255, p.113098_1 - 113098_9, 2025/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2025.113098

Research on radioactive aerosol control and decontamination at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Decommissioning (Contract research); FY2023 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; The University of Tokyo*

JAEA-Review 2025-015, 73 Pages, 2025/09

JAEA-Review-2025-015.pdf:5.9MB

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2023. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO). For this purpose, intelligence was collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development were promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. The sponsor of the Project was moved from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to JAEA since the newly adopted proposals in FY2018. On this occasion, JAEA constructed a new research system where JAEA-academia collaboration is reinforced and medium-to-long term research/development and human resource development contributing to the decommissioning are stably and consecutively implemented. Among the adopted proposals in FY2021, this report summarizes the research results of the "Research on radioactive aerosol control and decontamination at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station decommissioning" conducted from FY2021 to FY2023. The present study aims to develop a safe laser decontamination system that integrates advanced particle detection and characterization systems with aerosol dispersion control, in collaboration with UK researchers. For aerosol dispersion control, new containment methods ranging from simple mechanical containment hoods to optical laser shields are jointly investigated. The Japanese team will develop a radioactive dispersion control method based on the use of water mist and water spray to reduce radiation risks during laser cutting and decontamination applications. Based on data on aerosol particles provided by the UK team, the potential to enhance aerosol scrubbing efficiency will be explored. Additionally, the effect of charge enhancement will be evaluated. The UK team will develop laser-based aerosol containment methods and conducting experiments to improve the condensation of aerosol particles and mist in spray scrubbing. The development of aerosol removal technologies and strategies will be carried out through comprehensive experimental and computational studies. Experiments will be conducted at UTARTS facility to verify simultaneous operations such as laser decontamination, cutting, and spray operations. Aerosol measurements will also be performed to obtain high spatial resolution data that can better validate CFD models. In the final year, mock-up tests will be conducted to verify the system's operation and decontamination performance at full scale, evaluating the decontamination system developed through this research.

Assessment report on research and development activities in FY2024 Activity; Research and development related to the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (Achievements in environmental behavior research) (Ex-post evaluations)

Fukushima Research and Engineering Institute*

JAEA-Evaluation 2025-001, 23 Pages, 2025/09

JAEA-Evaluation-2025-001.pdf:0.72MB
JAEA-Evaluation-2025-001-appendix(CD-ROM).zip:185.38MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (hereinafter referred to as "JAEA") consulted an assessment committee, "Evaluation Committee of Research and Development related to the Accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station" (hereinafter referred to as "Committee") for ex-ante evaluations of "Research and Development Related to the Accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station" in accordance with "General Guideline for the Evaluation of Government Research and Development (R&D) Activities" by Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, "Guideline for Evaluation of R&D in Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology" and "Regulation on Conduct for Evaluation of R&D Activities" by JAEA. Based on a request from JAEA, the committee conducted a post-evaluation of research and development activities in the fourth phase (April 2022 to March 2029) of the medium-term research plan. This report summarizes the results of the assessment by the Committee.

Enhanced work hardening in ferrite and austenite of duplex stainless steel at 200 K; neutron diffraction study

Yamashita, Takayuki*; Koga, Norimitsu*; Mao, W.*; Gong, W.; Kawasaki, Takuro; Harjo, S.; Fujii, Hidetoshi*; Umezawa, Osamu*

Materials Science and Engineering A, 941, p.148602_1 - 148602_11, 2025/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2025.148602

Fuel debris criticality analysis technology using non-contact measurement method (Contract research); FY2023 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Institute of Science Tokyo*

JAEA-Review 2025-010, 62 Pages, 2025/08

JAEA-Review-2025-010.pdf:3.63MB

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2023. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO). For this purpose, intelligence was collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development were promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. The sponsor of the Project was moved from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to JAEA since the newly adopted proposals in FY2018. On this occasion, JAEA constructed a new research system where JAEA-academia collaboration is reinforced and medium-to-long term research/development and human resource development contributing to the decommissioning are stably and consecutively implemented. Among the adopted proposals in FY2021, this report summarizes the research results of the "Fuel debris criticality analysis technology using non-contact measurement method" conducted from FY2021 to FY2023. The purpose of research was to improve the fuel debris criticality analysis technology using non-contact measurement method by the development of the fuel debris criticality characteristics measurement system and the multi-region integral kinetic analysis code. It was performed by Institute of Science Tokyo, Tokyo City University, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, and Nagaoka University of Technology. We developed the fuel debris criticality characteristics measurement system which has a two layer structure surrounding a canister containing fuel debris fragments with He proportional counters. The operational validation and performance evaluation were performed on the developed detector system. We have demonstrated the feasibility and accuracy of measuring the amount of fissile material and water content. MIK2.0-MVP code, which can calculate fission reaction rate attributed to both prompt and delayed neutrons and also can take the movement of fuel debris into calculation, was developed. After parallelizing the tally process of C() function, MIK2.0-MVP code will be applicable to weakly coupled reactors which include moving fuel debris particles if a supercomputer will be used for the tally process of C() function and if the coupling of MIK2.0-MVP code with MPS will be weak.

Report of summer holiday practical training on 2024

Hasegawa, Toshinari; Nagasumi, Satoru; Ishitsuka, Etsuo; Egashira, Keiichiro*; Furuya, Aoi*; Ando, Ryota*; Sakaguchi, Akira*; Sakurai, Yosuke; Nakano, Yumi*; Iigaki, Kazuhiko

JAEA-Technology 2025-004, 20 Pages, 2025/07

JAEA-Technology-2025-004.pdf:1.67MB

Four people from three universities participated in the 2024 summer holiday practical training with the theme of "Technical development on HTTR". The participants practiced the analysis of the HTTR core, the analysis of Cs deposition behavior in the primary cooling system, and the feasibility study of nuclear rockets using HTGR. In the questionnaire after this training, there were comments from participants that it was beneficial as a work experience and that it was meaningful because of many opportunities to communicate with staff. These impressions suggest that this training was generally evaluated as good.

Long-term changes in the chemical, microstructural, and transport properties of a low-pH cement shotcrete during operation of the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory, Japan

Mochizuki, Akihito; Matsui, Hiroya; Nakayama, Masashi; Sakamoto, Ryo*; Shibata, Masahito*; Motoshima, Takayuki*; Jo, Mayumi*

Case Studies in Construction Materials, 22, p.e04648_1 - e04648_20, 2025/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2025.e04648

The properties of low-pH cement used in the geological disposal of radioactive waste may change through atmospheric carbonation and degradation caused by groundwater during the long-term operation of a repository. In this study, we investigated the effects of atmospheric carbonation and groundwater contact on the chemical, microstructural, and transport properties of shotcrete made from low-pH, high-fly-ash silica-fume cement (HFSC) over a period of 16 years in an underground research laboratory. In both carbonated and degraded zones of the HFSC shotcrete, capillary porosity increased for pores of 300 nm in diameter, and the total porosity was higher than in undegraded zones. These changes in porosity may be associated with the decalcification of calcium-silicate-hydrate and decomposition of ettringite. Such changes were minor in altered zones of OPC shotcrete, indicating that HFSC shotcrete is less resistant to atmospheric carbonation and groundwater leaching under the studied conditions. However, the hydraulic conductivity in HFSC was low enough to fulfill the specific functional requirements of low-pH cements for geological disposal.

Cu/ZnO catalysts integrated with AlO and/or SiO for methanol synthesis; Deciphering the additive-induced boost in catalytic performance by XAFS

Iwasaki, Kosei*; Ashida, Yuya*; Matsumura, Daiju; Kawakami, Kotaro*; Shibuya, Kenta*; Tazawa, Masaru*; Tsuji, Takuya; Shimizu, Hajime*

Journal of CO Utilization, 97, p.103111_1 - 103111_9, 2025/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcou.2025.103111