Study on the axial tensile properties of cladding tubes using a modified small punch test

Abstract

Tensile properties play a critical role in characterizing the mechanical behavior of cladding tubes. In this study, a modified small punch test (SPT) called single stress small punch test (SS-SPT) was proposed to investigate the axial tensile properties of cladding tubes. Semi-cylindrical SS-SPT specimens, directly prepared from cladding tubes, were subjected to a single stress state under an applied punch force. Finite element simulation results demonstrated that determining both yield stress and ultimate tensile stress using the SS-SPT was not only feasible but also accurate. Moreover, the axial tensile properties of a FeCrAl cladding tube were investigated using the SS-SPT. It was observed that the determined axial yield stress and ultimate tensile stress of the FeCrAl cladding tube exhibited a reduction of 7 %, compared to those obtained from axial uniaxial tensile tests.