1. Introduction

The shock and friction problems of interest EDF concern, for example, the modeling of the vibrations of tubular structures maintained by game supports, or separated by weak clearances and thus able to come into contact. Steam generator tubes, control cluster rods, fuel assemblies are examples of structures whose vibrations we want to model.

The major consequence of vibrations in the presence of play is to cause shocks as well as friction between the structure and its supports or between the structures, resulting in the risk of wear and tear. This document describes the type of nonlinearities introduced by the presence of these games, as well as the modeling used to take them into account in the modal recombination algorithm.