A study on friction and axial effects in PELLET-CLAD mechanical interaction

Abstract

During the last years, many models have been developed for the analysis of pellet clad mechanical interaction at pellet interfaces (1-12, 32). In those models a finite element study is performed; a single pellet is considered , and usually symmetry considerations restrict the analysis to halfa pellet . On the other side, in some 1 and 1 1/2 dimensional fuel rod modeling codes (13, 14), axial coupling of rod sections is performed taking into account the overall effect of axial and friction forces along the rod.