• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제48권3호
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• pp.805-819
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• 2016

The numerical simulation methodologies to evaluate the structural behaviors of prestressed concrete containment vessels (PCCVs) have been substantially developed in recent decades. However, there remain several issues to be investigated more closely to narrow the gap between test results and numerical simulations. As one of those issues, the effects of no stiffness inside unbonded tendon ducts on the behavior of PCCVs are investigated in this study. Duct holes for prestressing cables' passing are provided inside the containment wall and dome in one to three directions for general PCCVs. The specific stress distribution along the periphery of the prestressing duct hole and the loss of stiffness inside the hole, especially in an unbonded tendon system, are usually neglected in the analysis of PCCVs with the assumption that the duct hole is filled with concrete. However, duct holes are not small enough to be neglected. In this study, the effects of no stiffness inside the unbonded tendon system on the behaviors of PCCVs are evaluated using both analytical and numerical approaches. From the results, the effects of no stiffness in unbonded tendons need to be considered in numerical simulations for PCCVs, especially under internal pressure loading.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권12호
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• pp.4504-4517
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• 2023

After a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) in the prestressed concrete containment vessels (PCCVs) of nuclear power plants, the coupling of temperature and pressure can significantly affect the mechanical properties of the PCCVs. However, there is no consensus on how this coupling affects the failure mechanism of PCCVs. In this paper, a simplified finite element modeling method is proposed to study the effect of temperature and pressure coupling on PCCVs. The experiment results of a 1:4 scale PCCV model tested at Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) are compared with the results obtained from the proposed modeling approach. Seven working conditions are set up by varying the internal and external temperatures to investigate the failure mechanism of the PCCV model under the coupling effect of temperature and pressure. The results of this paper demonstrate that the finite element model established by the simplified finite element method proposed in this paper is highly consistent with the experimental results. Furthermore, the stress-displacement curve of the PCCV during loading can be divided into four stages, each of which corresponds to the damage to the concrete, steel liner, steel rebar, and prestressing tendon. Finally, the failure mechanism of the PCCV is significantly affected by temperature.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권5호
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• pp.1638-1653
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• 2024

Given the unpredictability of the occurrence of the earthquake and other potential disasters into consideration, the nuclear power plant may be confronted with beyond design-basis earthquake load in the future. The containment structure may be severely damaged under such severe earthquake loading, increasing the risk of containment concrete cracking and potential radioactive materials leaking. Moreover, initial damage caused by the earthquake may significantly alter the pressure performance of the containment under follow-up internal pressure. To compromise the dangers of beyond design-basis earthquake to the containment, an alternative of replacing the conventional concrete with fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) to upgrade the seismic resistance capacity of the containment is attempted and thoroughly researched. In this study, the influence of various fiber types such as rigid fiber and mixed fiber is regarded to constitute fiber-reinforced PCCVs. The physical properties of traditional and fiber-reinforced PCCVs under earthquake ground motions are scientifically compared and identified by using traditional and proposed evaluation indices. The results indicate that both the traditional evaluation index (i.e. top displacement, stress, strain) and the proposed damage index are greatly reduced by the practice of fiber strengthening under earthquake ground motions.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권6호
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• pp.2156-2172
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• 2022

This paper investigates the optimum fiber reinforcement for prestressed concrete containment vessels (PCCVs) under internal pressure. To achieve this aim, steel fiber, which is the most widely used fiber type in current engineering applications, is adopted to constitute steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) to substitute the conventional concrete in the PCCV. The effects of characteristic parameters, 𝜆_sf, of the steel fiber affecting significantly the mechanical behavior of the concrete are first taken into account. Partial or complete concrete regions of the PCCV are also considered to be replaced by SFRC to balance the economy and safety. By adopting the ABAQUS software, the ultimate bearing capacity and performance for the fiber-reinforced PCCV are scientifically studied and quantified, and the recommendations for the optimum way of fiber reinforcement are presented.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제47권7호
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• pp.884-894
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• 2015

Background: Fibers in concrete resist the growth of cracks and enhance the postcracking behavior of structures. The addition of fibers into a conventional reinforced concrete can improve the structural and functional performance of safety-related concrete structures in nuclear power plants. Methods: The influence of fibers on the ultimate internal pressure capacity of a prestressed concrete containment vessel (PCCV) was investigated through a comparison of the ultimate pressure capacities between conventional and fiber-reinforced PCCVs. Steel and polyamide fibers were used. The tension behaviors of conventional concrete and fiber-reinforced concrete specimens were investigated through uniaxial tension tests and their tension-stiffening models were obtained. Results: For a PCCV reinforced with 1% volume hooked-end steel fiber, the ultimate pressure capacity increased by approximately 12% in comparison with that for a conventional PCCV. For a PCCV reinforced with 1.5% volume polyamide fiber, an increase of approximately 3% was estimated for the ultimate pressure capacity. Conclusion: The ultimate pressure capacity can be greatly improved by introducing steel and polyamide fibers in a conventional reinforced concrete. Steel fibers are more effective at enhancing the containment performance of a PCCV than polyamide fibers. The fiber reinforcementwas shown to bemore effective at a high pressure loading and a lowprestress level.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권6호
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• pp.2053-2068
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• 2023

Following a loss of coolant accident (LOCA), prestressing concrete containment vessels (PCCVs) may experience high thermal load as well as internal pressure. The high temperature stress would increase the risk of premature damage to the containment, which reduces the safety margin during the increasing internal pressure. However, current investigations cannot clearly address the issues of thermal-pressure coupling effect on damage propagation and thus safety of the containment. Thus, this paper offers three simple and powerful damage parameters to differentiate the severity of damage of the containment. Moreover, despite of the temperature action severely threatening the pressure performance of the containment, the research regarding the improvement of the resistant performance of the containment is quite scarce. Therefore, in this paper, a comprehensive comparison of damage propagation and mechanism between conventional and fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) containments is performed. The effects of fiber characteristics parameters on damage propagation of structures following the LOCA are also specifically revealed. It is found that the proposed damage indices can properly indicate state of damage in the containment body and the addition of fiber can be used to obviously mitigate the damage propagation in PCCV considering the thermal-pressure coupling.

• 콘크리트학회논문집
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• 제24권6호
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• pp.695-703
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• 2012

현재 교량, 터널, 원전격납구조물, 가스탱크 등의 주요 사회기반 구조물은 긴장재에 의해 구속효과가 적용된 프리스트레스트 콘크리트(PSC) 구조물로 주로 이루어져 있으며, 기술의 발전과 함께 프리스트레스트 콘크리트의 적용범위가 넓어지고 있는 추세이다. 일반적으로 콘크리트 구조물은 다른 구조재료에 비하여 내화성이 뛰어나다고 평가되고 있으나, 긴장재에 의해 구속된 프리스트레스트 콘크리트 구조물의 경우, 고온의 화재에 대한 부재의 거동은 일반 콘크리트 구조물의 거동과는 상이하나, 이와 관련된 국내외 연구 또한 미비한 실정이다. 그러므로, 이 연구에서는 $1400{\times}1000{\times}300mm$ 부재의 양방향에 430 kN의 긴장력을 준 비부착 프리스트레스트 콘크리트 패널부재를 제작하여, 5분 이내에 $1200^{\circ}C$의 화재하중을 가할 수 있는 RABT 화재 시나리오를 적용하여 이방향으로 구속된 프리스트레스트 콘크리트의 내화성능을 실험적으로 검토하였다. 또한 잔존내력구조실험을 수행하여, 화재에 의해 손상을 받은 프리스트레스트 콘크리트 구조물의 잔류응력을 일반 철근콘크리트 구조물과 비교 검토하였다. 이 연구 결과를 통해 화재에 대한 PSC 부재와 RC 부재의 거동은 서로 상이하였음을 확인하였다.

• 콘크리트학회논문집
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.429-440
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• 2014

세계적으로 충돌, 테러, 화재, 폭발 등의 극한하중에 의한 테러가 빈번하게 발생하고 있으나, 실제 극한하중에 대한 사회주요기반시설구조물의 방호 및 방재개념이 설계에 반영되고 있지 못하는 실정이다. 특히, 교량, 터널, 원전격납구조물, 가스탱크 등의 주요 시설물에 적용되고 있는 프리스트레스트 콘크리트(PSC) 구조물에 대한 극한하중 연구는 미흡한 실정이다. 또한, 테러, 폭격, 차량 및 선박 등의 충돌 사고 이후 2차적으로 발생 가능한 화재에 대한 사회적 관심 및 불안감이 고조됨에 따라, 단순한 단일 극한하중이 아닌 복합손상 시나리오에 대한 구조물의 검토가 필요하다. 그러므로, 본 연구에서는 $1,400{\times}1,000{\times}300mm$ 부재의 양방향에 430kN의 긴장력을 준 비부착 프리스트르레스트 콘크리트 패널부재를 제작하여, 충돌, 화재 하중 뿐만 아니라, 충돌 후 화재의 복합손상을 실험적으로 검토하였다. 이방향 프리스트레스트 콘크리트의 충돌저항성능은 실험조건에 맞춰 14kN의 추를 10m, 3.5m의 높이의 실험으로 구성하였으며, 화재저항성능은 5분 이내에 $1,200^{\circ}C$의 화재하중을 가할 수 있는 RABT 화재 시나리오를 적용하여 극한저항성능을 검토하였다. 또한 충돌, 화재, 충돌 후 화재에 의해 손상을 받은 PSC 및 RC 시편의 잔류구조성능을 손상 받지 않은 시편들과 비교 검토하였다. 본 실험은 향후 국내외 프리스트레스트 콘크리트에 대한 충돌 및 화재해석 및 방호설계 등 관련 연구분야의 기초자료가 될 것이라고 판단되는 바이다.