Abstract
This summary abstract describes the methodology used to evaluate the effect of pellet–pellet and pellet–clad interactions with consideration of the interfacial bonding efficiency on UNF vibration integrity. This methodology provides a solid roadmap for further protocol development with respect to effective lifetime prediction of a UNF system under normal transportation vibration. The proposed methodology that couples FEA simulations and experimental exploration efforts is also under development. The current methodology is focused on assessing the influence of interfacial bonding at the pellet–pellet and the pellet–clad interfaces on UNF vibration integrity. The FEA simulation results were also calibrated and benchmarked with the fatigue aging data obtained from reversible bending fatigue testing.
