• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.5 no.5
• /
• pp.47-56
• /
• 2001

In order to assure the safety of NPP structures, margin of safety or conservatism is incorporated in each design step. Seismic risk evaluation of NPP structures is performed based on the realistic capacity and response of structure eliminated the safety margin and conservatism. In this study, the comparative study on the various evaluation methods of the inelastic energy absorption capacity was performed. The inelastic energy absorption capacity due to the nonlinear behavior of structures has significant effect on the results of seismic probabilistic risk assessment. And the comparison study of the HCLPF(high confidence of low probability of failure) values according to the inelastic energy absorption factors was performed. As a conclusion, the inelastic energy absorption factor of NPP containment structure is estimated about 1.5~1.75. It is essential to estimate the nonlinear behavior of structure and its ductility factor correctly for the seismic risk assessment.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.114-121
• /
• 2014

Liquefied natural gas(LNG) cargo containment system(CCS) has the primary function of ensuring both adequate structural safety with respect to sloshing load which is defined as a violent behaviour of the liquid contents in CCS due to external forced motions and thermal insulation keeping natural gas below its boiling point. Among different LNG CCS types such as independent B-type and membrane ones, Mark III CCS is considered in this paper to perform its strength assessment. Mark III CCS plate is designed and constructed by stacking various non-metallic engineering materials such as plywood, triplex, reinforced PU foam that are supported by series of mastic upon inner steel hull structure. From the viewpoint of structural analysis, this plated structure is treated as a laminated composite structure showing complex structural behaviour under external load. Advanced finite element models of Mark III CCS plate is generated and used in conjunction with ultimate strength based failure criteria from laminated composite mechanics for the strength assessment. The strength assessment is performed within the initial failure state of Mark III CCS plate. Results provide failure details such as failure locations and loads. Finally obtained results are reviewed using the loads from acceptance criteria suggested by classification.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.339-345
• /
• 2012

RMembrane LNG storage tanks have been recently investigated to replace full-containment LNG storage tanks because of safety and cost aspects. Quantitative Risk Analysis (QRA) and Finite Element Method (FEM) were used to evaluate safety of membrane LNG storage tanks. In this study, structural safety evaluation results via FEM analysis showed that both membrane type and full-containment type cryogenic LNG storage tanks with 140,000 $m^3$ capacity were equivalently safe in terms of strength safety and leakage safety of a storage tank system. Also, Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) was used to improve the safety of membrane LNG storage tanks and membrane LNG tanks were modified by adding three safety equipments: impact absorber structure for the low part of the membrane, the secondary barrier to diminish the thermal stress of the corner part of the outer tank, and a pump catcher in case of falling of a pump. Consequently, the safety of the modified membrane LNG storage tanks were proved to be equivalent to that of full-containment LNG storage tanks.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.523-533
• /
• 2015

A reactor containment acts as a final barrier to prevent leakage of radioactive material due to the possible reactor accidents into external environment. Because of the functional importance of the containment building, the SIT(Structural Integrity Test) for containments shall be performed to evaluate the structural acceptability and demonstrate the quality of construction. An initial numerical analysis was performed to simulate the results obtained from the SIT for a prestressed concrete(PSC) structure. But the analysis results by the initial model expected smaller displacements than the measured ones by 30% at some locations. Accordingly, the research and development to improve the initial model to corelate the measured results of the SIT more properly have been performed. In this paper, the effects of the loss of concrete due to duct for tendons and the contact of duct and tendons in un-bonded tendon system are mainly evaluated based on the preliminary analysis results. In addition, the importances of the proper definition of mesh connectivity among structural elements of concrete, liner plates, rebars and tendons are discussed.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.10 no.6 s.52
• /
• pp.137-145
• /
• 2006

Recently, the interests in structural monitoring of civil infrastructures are increased. Especially, as the civil infrastructures such as bridges, tunnels and buildings become large-scale, it is necessary to monitor and maintain the safety state of the structures, which requires smart systems that can supply long-term monitoring during the service time of the structures. In this paper, we investigated the possibilities of fiber optic sensor application to the various structures. We investigate the possibility of using fiber optic Bragg grating sensors to joint structure. The sensors show good response to the structural behavior of the joint while electric gauges lack of sensitivity, durability and long term stability for continuous monitoring. We also apply fiber optic structural monitoring to the composite repaired concrete beam structure. Peel-out effects is detected with optical fiber Bragg grating sensors and the strain difference between main structure and repaired carbon sheets is observed when they separate each other. The real field test was performed to verify the behaviors of fiber Bragg grating sensors attached to the containment structure in Uljin nuclear power plant in Korea as a part of structural integrity test which demonstrates that the structural response of the non-prototype primary containment structures. The optical fiber Bragg grating sensor smart system which is the probable means for long term assessments can be applicable to monitoring of structural members in various civil infrastructures.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.403-414
• /
• 1994

Nonlinear analysis of RC containment structure under thermal load and pressure is presented to trace the behaviour after an assumed LOCA. The temperature distribution varying with time through the wall thickness is determined by transient finite element analysis with the two time level scheme in time domain. The layered shell finite elements are used to represent the containment structures in nuclear power plants. Both geometric and material nonlinearities are taken into account in the finite element formulation. The constitutive relation of concrete is modeled according to Drucker-Prager yield criteria in compression. Tension stiffening model is used to represent the tensile behaviour of concrete including bond effect. The reinforcing bars are modeled by smeared layer at the location of reinforcements accounting elasto-plastic axial behaviors. The steel liner model under Von Mises yield criteria is adopted to represent elastic-perfect plastic behaviour. Geometric nonlinearity is formulated to consider the large displacement effect. Thermal stress components are determined by the initial strain concept during each time step. The temperature differential between any two consecutive time steps is considered as a load incremental. The numerical results from this study reveal that nonlinear temperature gradient based on transient thermal analysis will produces excessive large displacement. Nonlinear behavior of containment structures up to ultimate stage can be traced reallistically. The present study allows more realistic analysis of concrete containment structures in nuclear power plants.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.103-111
• /
• 2014

In this study, the probabilistic internal pressure fragility analysis was performed by using the non-linear finite element analysis method. The target structure is one of the containment buildings of typical domestic pressurized water reactors(PWRs). The 3-dimensional finite element model of the containment building was developed with considering the large equipment hatches. To consider uncertainties in the material properties and structural capacities, we performed the sensitivity analysis of the ultimate pressure capacity with respect to the variation of four important uncertain parameters. The results of the sensitivity analysis were used to the selection of the probabilistic variables and the determination of their probabilistic parameters. To reflect the present condition of the tendon pre-stressing force, the data of the pre-stressing force acquired from the in-service inspections of tendon forces were used for the determination of the median value. Two failure modes(leak, rupture) were considered and their limit states were defined to assess the internal pressure fragility of target containment building. The internal pressure fragilities for each failure mode were evaluated in terms of median internal pressure capacity, high confidence low probability of failure(HCLPF) capacity, and fragility curves with respect to the confidence levels. The HCLPF capacity was 115.9 psig for leak failure mode, and 125.0 psig for rupture failure mode.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
• /
• v.5 no.4 s.16
• /
• pp.49-55
• /
• 2001

This paper presents the design safety analysis of the inner tank structure, which is manufactured by 9 percent nickel steel sheets in the full containment type LNG storage tank. The FEM computed results indicate that top girder and several stiffener rings of the inner tank play an important role for controlling the deformation and stress intensity of the inner tank structure. The hydrostatic pressure due to cryogenic fluids gave more influential to the deformation of the inner tank wall compared with that of a cryogenic temperature of $-162^{\circ}C$. But, the deformation and stress of the inner tank. which is produced by the buckling loads, are very small because the external load is not applied to the top of the inner tank. This indicates the role of top girder and stiffener rings of the inner tank model is not important in full containment LNG storage tank.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
• /
• v.5 no.4 s.16
• /
• pp.85-91
• /
• 2001

This paper presents safety analysis of LNG leakage in a prestressed concrete outer tank, which is strongly related on the leak checking effects of the PC structure with and without a residual compression zone based on the BS 7777 codes. The full containment type outer tank which is constructed by a prestressed concrete may be destroyed by leaked cryogenic fluids. The FE calculated results show that the total leak checking time of the PC structure with $10\%$ residual compression zone is about 9 days for $-162^{\circ}C$ liquids. But, three primary pumps in an inner tank may operate to send cryogenic fluids for 6 days, which are stored in an inner tank of $140,000m^3$ capacity This means that the prestressed concrete outer tank may be safe for $-162^{\circ}C$ cryogenic fluids leaked from the demolished inner tank.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.103-112
• /
• 1990

This study examines the characteristics of soil behavior which includes many uncertainties in seismic design, evaluates the dynamic soil properties and studies the soil-structure interaction to generalize the applicability and economy of the available sites. An example analysis is performed for soil-structure system response assuming a containment structure built on site which includes soil layers using both elastic halfspace analysis and FEM analysis against the seismic loads from the actual design. This exercise is performed as a part of the safety analysis and economic assessment of the nuclear power plant built on soils. It includes the preparation of computer program capable of incorporating large nonlinearity in the analysis, resonable evaluation procedures to determine input soil data. Nonlinear FEM analysis of Seed and Idriss model is found suitable for the accurate analysis of dynamic response of soils. Linear FEM analysis using dynamic soil properties at strain level obtained by one-dimensional seismic response, and elastic half-space analysis using dynamic soil properties at strain level under static loads are recommended to evaluate the dynamic soil properties.