Effect of Cold Reduction on Anisotropy of Zircaloy Tubing

The effect of cold-work parameters on the texture and the contractile strain ratio (CSR) was investigated using Zircaloy tubes fabricated by different reduction processes. The results were as follows:

1. For the as-rolled and stress-relieved tubes, the f-factors were strongly influenced by the reduction in area as well as the Q-value during final cold work. As the reduction in area increased under the same Q-value, the f_r-factor decreased.

2. When these tubes were recrystallized, tubes with lower reduction had little change in texture and tubes with higher reduction showed greater change. Thus texture was independent of reduction in area in the case of recrystallized tubes.

3. The relation between reduction and CSR showed the same tendency as the above relation between reduction and f_r-factor.

4. The tool design had a significant effect on the deformation texture. The experimental data for the f-factors correlated fairly well with that calculated on the basis of the theory that the texture is determined by the local strain ratio.