Contact behavior analysis of a non-conformal shape spacer grid spring

The contact stress analysis of a non-conformal shape spacer grid spring due to the contact between a fuel rod and a spacer grid spring is executed by finite element method. The fuel rod is regarded as a rigid body because it has the higher stiffness than that of the spacer grid spring, and the spring as a deformable body. In this analysis, the contact pressure, contact configuration by contact pressure, contact force magnitude, contact shape, and contact length are obtained. The contact between two bodies exist the critical amplitude, which mean the point to abruptly increase the fretting wear volume. When the displacement of the spring in the core condition is not Herzian contact but general contact condition. The fretting wear volume under this general contact condition is much governed by the normal force than that of the axial direction amplitude. And the normal force is higher, the fretting wear volume is more decrease