The Elastic Deformation of a Circular Rod of Finite Length for an Axially Symmetric End Face Loading

Abstract

The problem of determining the deformation of an elastic rod of finite dimensions under a symmetrical axial loading is reduced to the solution of an infinite system of simultaneous linear equations. An approximate numerical solution is obtained for the case when the load acts uniformly over an outer annular region of the end face, and it is shown that the maximum radial displacement increases as the width of the annulus decreases. The application of the results to the problem of circumferential ridging of nuclear reactor fuel elements is discussed. It is concluded that the compression between adjacent rods probably contributes to ridge formation, but that the magnitude of the contribution cannot be determined without a knowledge of the compressive plastic stress-strain characteristics of the material.