Optimization of Ultrasonic Surface Rolling Process Parameters and Fretting Wear Resistance of Zirconium Cladding

WANG Jun; JIA Pengfei; CAI Zhenbing; LI Zhengyang; FAN Tongbai; ZHU Jianjian; RAN Hao

doi:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.17.012

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Surface Technology ›› 2026, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (17) : 143-157. DOI: 10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2026.17.012

Friction, Wear and Lubrication

Optimization of Ultrasonic Surface Rolling Process Parameters and Fretting Wear Resistance of Zirconium Cladding

WANG Jun^1,*, JIA Pengfei¹, CAI Zhenbing², LI Zhengyang³, FAN Tongbai¹, ZHU Jianjian¹, RAN Hao¹

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Abstract

Functioning as the foremost safety barrier, the nuclear fuel cladding is essential for maintaining reactor core integrity and preventing the release of fission products. Fretting wear is the primary mechanism leading to the failure of nuclear reactor fuel cladding. Revealing the intrinsic mechanisms by which ultrasonic surface rolling processing (USRP) technology improves its anti-fretting wear performance and extends its service life is a key and urgent challenge to ensure the safe operation of nuclear power plants. The work aims to investigate the variations in surface integrity and the enhancement mechanisms of wear resistance in domestic zirconium alloy cladding after USRP treatment with different process parameters. Firstly, quasi-static uniaxial tensile tests were conducted at room temperature according to "GB/T 228.1—2021" to obtain the Johnson-Cook constitutive parameters of the domestic zirconium alloy and establish a finite element model. Then, cladding was treated by the Ultrasonic Surface Rolling Process (USRP) with selected parameters, and a four-factor, three-level orthogonal experiment was employed to optimize these process parameters. Secondly, the effect of process parameters on residual stress, surface roughness, hardness, and other properties of the cladding was tested and analyzed. Finally, tangential fretting wear tests were carried out with a fretting wear testing machine to obtain the effect of different process parameters on wear volume and to reveal the enhancement mechanism of USRP treatment on wear resistance. The experiment employed a point contact configuration, and the test parameters were as follows: displacement amplitude of 100 μm, frequency of 5 Hz, normal load of 20 N and number of cycles of 1×10⁵. After the test, a white light interferometer was used to test the wear scars, and the wear area and wear volume were obtained. The effect of different USRP parameters on the surface residual stress, surface hardness, roughness, and wear volume of the cladding was analyzed. Subsequently, the range analysis method was employed to evaluate the degree of effect of each factor on surface integrity and wear volume, thereby identifying the optimal parameter set. The results indicated that process parameters significantly affected the USRP treatment outcomes. A considerable residual compressive stress was introduced on the cladding surface. The maximum surface hardness of the modified cladding reached 447.9HV0.2, an increase of 130.8% compared to the substrate (191.0HV0.2). The minimum surface roughness was 0.199 μm, reduced by 54.6% compared to the substrate (0.438 μm). The minimum wear volume was 0.234×10⁵ μm³, reduced by 91.8% compared to the substrate (2.854×10⁵ μm³). Besides, the four main process parameters (R, F, A) had the greatest effect on the surface roughness, surface residual stress, wear volume, and surface hardness of the modified cladding, respectively. The fretting wear resistance is primarily affected by surface roughness and hardness, followed by the introduced residual compressive stress. During surface treatment, a relatively high rotational speed should be maintained to ensure an appropriate feed rate to achieve sufficient coverage of the strengthening effect. Furthermore, suitable amplitude and static pressure must be applied to balance surface hardness and residual compressive stress. The synergy of these three factors effectively enhances the anti-fretting wear performance.

Key words

fuel rod / zirconium alloy / ultrasonic surface rolling process / fretting wear / wear resistance / wear mechanism

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WANG Jun, JIA Pengfei, CAI Zhenbing, LI Zhengyang, FAN Tongbai, ZHU Jianjian, RAN Hao. Optimization of Ultrasonic Surface Rolling Process Parameters and Fretting Wear Resistance of Zirconium Cladding[J]. Surface Technology. 2026, 55(17): 143-157

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Funding

The National Natural Science Foundation of China (U2433213); Sichuan Science and Technology Program (2025ZNSFSC1344); the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (25CAFUC04017, 25CAFUC09002)