Andrew A. Wereszczak received his Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering from the University of Delaware in 1992, and while his research is varied, the study and interpretation of the relationship between mechanical properties and microstructure (of monolithic ceramics, structural materials, and electronic materials) are common denominators. Micromechanical characterization of structural and armor ceramics using instrumented static and dynamic indentation (e.g., Hertzian) with acoustic emission analysis, and adapting those measured performances and damage mechanism analyses to strength, rolling contact fatigue, wear, machining, and ballistic performances is a primary objective. Additionally, ceramic strength and fatigue testing, ceramic fractographical and flaw population analyses, Weibull analysis strength-size-scaling, and probabilistic life prediction and design of structural ceramic components constitutive another primary research objective. In support of all these efforts, both conventional and microstructural-level finite element stress analyses and microstructure characterization are performed. He is the author or co-author of over 100 technical publications and has given over 80 presentations, and is the co-developer of µ-FEA software.

• Preface. Introduction.Irradiation Effects in Ceramics.(GenlV) Next Generation Nuclear Power and Requirements for Standards, Codes and Data Bases for Ceramic Matrix Composites (Michael G. Jenkins, Edgar Lara-Curzio, and William E. Windes).Determination of Promising Inert Matrix Fuel Compounds (C. R. Stanek, J. A. Valdez, K. E. Sickafus, K. J. McClellan, and R. W. Grimes).Densification Mechanism and Microstructural Evolution of Sic Matrix in NlTE Process (Kazuya Shimoda, Joon-Soon Park, Tatsuya Hinoki, and Akira Kohyama).Optimization of Sintering Parameters for Nitride Transmutation Fuels (John T. Dunwoody, Christopher R. Stanek, Kenneth J. McClellan, Stewart L. Voit, Thomas Hartmann, Kirk Wheeler, Manuel Parra, and Pedro D. Peralta).Ceramics in Non-Thermal Plasma Discharges for Hydrogen Generation (R. Vintila, G. Mendoza-Suarez, J. A. Kozinski, and R. A. L. Drew).Piezoelectric Ceramic Fiber Composites for Energy Harvesting to Power Electronic Components (Richard Cass, Farhad Mohammadi, and Stephen Leschin).Design Factor Using a SiC/SiC Composites for Core Component of Gas Cooled Fast Reactor. I: Hoop Stress (Jae-Kwang Lee and Masayuki Naganuma).Characterizations of Ti,SiC, as Candidate for the Structural Materials of High Temperature Reactors (Fabienne Audubert, Guillaume Abrivard, and Christophe Tallaron).Influence of Specimen Type and Loading Configuration on the Fracture Strength of Sic Layer in Coated Particle Fuel (T. S. Byun, S. G. Hong, L. L. Snead, and Y. Katoh).Investigation of Aluminides as Potential Matrix Materials for Inert Matrix Nuclear Fuels (Darrin D. Byler, Kenneth J. McClellan, James A. Valdez, Pedro D. Peralta, and Kirk Wheeler).Fluidised Bed Chemical Vapour Deposition of Pyrolytic Carbon (E. Lopez Honorato, P. Xiao, G. Marsh, and T. Abram).Ceramics for Advanced Nuclear and Alternative Energy Applications.Strength Testing of Monolithic and Duplex Silicon Carbide Cylinders in Support of Use as Nuclear Fuel Cladding (Denwood F. Ross, Jr. and William R. Hendrich).Subcritical Crack Growth in Hi-Nicalon Type-S Fiber CVI-SiC/SiC Composites (Charles H. Henager, Jr.).Electrical Conductivity of Proton Conductive Ceramics Under Reactor Irradiation (Tatsuo Shikama, Bun Tsuchiya, Shinji Nagata, and Kentaro Toh).The Effects of Irradiation-Induced Swelling of Constituents on Mechanical Properties of Advanced SiCISiC Composites (Kazumi Ozawa, Takashi Nozawa, and Tatsuya Hinoki, and Akira Kohyama).Behaviors of Radioluminescence of Optical Ceramics for Nuclear Applications (T. Shikama, S. Nagata, K. Toh, 6. Tsuchiya, and A. lnouye).Author Index.