Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Preface -- Chapter 1. Irradiation Defects -- 1.1. Introduction -- 1.2. Some basic data -- 1.2.1. Radiative environments and nuclear materials -- 1.2.2. Some notions about the transport of particles in matter -- 1.2.3. The zoology of irradiation defects -- 1.3. Defect creation mechanisms -- 1.3.1. Creation of defects by elastic collisions -- 1.3.2. Amorphization -- 1.3.3. Creation of defects by electronic excitation -- 1.3.4. Synergy between elastic collisions and electronic excitations -- 1.4. Kinetics of defect evolution -- 1.4.1. Mean field approach: reaction rate theory -- 1.4.2. Evolution of extended defects: kinetics of clusters in the mean field -- 1.4.3. Kinetic Monte Carlo approach -- 1.4.4. Phase field approach -- 1.5. Open-ended problems -- 1.6. Acknowledgements -- 1.7. References -- Chapter 2. Metal Alloys -- 2.1. Introduction -- 2.2. Fuel cladding -- 2.2.1. Growth and creep under irradiation -- 2.2.2. Stress corrosion cracking -- 2.2.3. The mechanisms of the evolution of the properties under irradiation -- 2.2.4. Simulations of growth and creep under irradiation -- 2.3. Internal structures in austenitic steel -- 2.3.1. An effect of irradiation: intergranular segregation -- 2.3.2. Evolution of mechanical properties under irradiation -- 2.3.3. Creep under irradiation -- 2.3.4. Swelling -- 2.3.5. Irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking -- 2.4. The vessel -- 2.4.1. Changes in tenacity and resilience -- 2.4.2. Cluster dynamics -- 2.5. Perspectives -- 2.6. References -- Chapter 3. Ceramics within PWRs -- 3.1. Introduction -- 3.2. Development and typical properties of UO2 and B4C ceramics -- 3.2.1. Development and structure of uranium dioxide -- 3.2.2. Development and structure of boron carbide -- 3.2.3. Thermomechanical characteristics of B4C and UO2.