Ultimate Failure Criteria Evaluation of Elbow Pipe Components in Seismically Isolated NPPs

Author(s):  
Daegi Hahm ◽  
Min-Kyu Kim

Seismic isolation system can be an effective alternative to protect the nuclear power plants (NPPs) against to the strong seismic events. Therefore, some research activities to adopt the seismic isolation concept to the design of the next generation NPPs have been progressed for last few years in Korea. If seismic isolation devices are installed in nuclear power plant for seismic stability, safety against seismic load of power plant may be improved. But in some equipment, the seismic fragility capacity may decrease because the relative displacements may become larger compared to the non-isolated case. It is well known that the interface pipes between isolated & non-isolated structures will become the most critical component when the seismic isolation system will be introduced. Therefore, seismic performance of such interface pipes should be evaluated comprehensively especially in terms of the seismic fragility capacity. To evaluate the seismic capacity of interface pipes in the isolated NPP, firstly, we should define the failure mode and failure criteria of critical pipe components. In many previous studies, the failure mode and failure criteria of pipes under severe seismic loading condition were defined in terms of the low-cycle fatigue and/or ratcheting failure. However, for the interface pipes in the seismically isolated NPPs, the failure mode may become different from the conventional failure modes of ordinary pipes because of the extremely large relative displacement between the support anchors which are located in the isolated and non-isolated structures. Hence, in this study, we performed the dynamic tests of elbow components which were installed in a seismically isolated NPP, and evaluated the ultimate failure mode and failure criteria by using the test results. To do this, we manufactured 24 critical elbow component specimens and performed cyclic loading tests under the internal pressure condition. The failure mode and failure criteria of a pipe component will be varied by the design parameters such as the internal pressure, pipe diameter, loading type, and loading amplitude. From the tests, we assessed the effects of the variation parameters onto the failure criteria. For the tests, we generated the seismic input protocol of relative displacement between the ends of elbow component. The results of ultimate failure mode and failure criteria are presented in terms of the number of cyclic loading counts, damage indices which are the functions of dissipated energy and inelastic deformation. From the results, we found that the increase of the internal pressure will slightly increase the failure criteria. Tested elbow components had a very good sustainability against to the earthquake loading since that more than 34 times of 0.5g earthquakes (40 mm relative displacement) were required to make a penetration crack at the most critical point.

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-193
Author(s):  
Jelena Ristić ◽  
Miloš Vučinić ◽  
Danilo Ristić ◽  
Milutin Vučinić

Extensive analytical and experimental research has been done by the authors directed to mitigation of the effects of earthquakes on structures. The research results mainly represent parts of the realized several related international projects. A selected part of the analytical studies directed to comparison between conventional and seismically isolated frame structures is presented in this paper. The responses of the applied newely developed advanced seismic isolation system HC-RMS-GOSEB to the simulated input excitation of three representative earthquakes of intensity 0.50g, have shown that it is very effective for construction of vibro-isolated and seismically resistant buildings, providing activated multistage seismic response and globally optimized seismic energy balance. Its application achieves an increase in the vibration period of the structure, far enough from the dominant period of seismic excitation. The results of the research confirm that this system is a potential solution for achieving low-cost and highly efficient protection of buildings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 1886-1911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasios Tsiavos ◽  
Anastasios Sextos ◽  
Andreas Stavridis ◽  
Matt Dietz ◽  
Luiza Dihoru ◽  
...  

This study presents a large-scale experimental investigation on the seismic performance of an innovative, low-cost seismic isolation system for developing countries. It is based on the beneficial effect of the encapsulation of sand grains between two PVC surfaces on the initiation of sliding and the dissipation of seismic energy between the surfaces. A three-times scaled-down, idealized, seismically isolated model of a prototype single-story structure located in Nepal is subjected to an ensemble of recorded earthquake ground motion excitations. The experimentally derived response of the seismically isolated structure is compared with the response of the corresponding fixed-base structure. This system is part of a wider hybrid design approach where the structure is designed to resist the seismic forces at the design acceleration level. The seismic isolation system sets an upper bound to the response of the structure for ground motion excitations exceeding the design level.


Author(s):  
Mitsuru Kageyama ◽  
Yoshihiko Hino ◽  
Satoshi Moro

In Japan, the development of the next generation NPP has been conducted in recent years. In the equipment/piping design of the plant, seismic condition has been required much more mitigate than before. So, the three-dimensional (abbreviation to 3D) seismic isolation system development has also been conducted since 2000. The superlative 3D base isolation system for the entire building was proposed. The system is composed of cable reinforced air springs, rocking arresters and viscous dampers. Dimensions of the air spring applied to the actual power plant are 8 meters in the outer-diameter and 3.5 meters in height. The allowable half strokes are 1.0 meters in horizontal and 0.5 meters in vertical respectively. The maximum supporting weight for a single device is 70 MN. The inner design air pressure is about 1.8MPa. This air spring has a distinguishing feature, which realizes 3D base isolation with a single device, whose natural periods are about 4 seconds in horizontal and about 3 seconds in vertical. In order to verify the 3D performance of this system, several feasibility tests were conducted. Firstly, 3D shaking table tests were conducted. The test specimen is scaled 1/4 of the actual device. The outer diameter and inner air pressure of air spring is 2 meters and 0.164 MPa. Next, a pressure resistant test for the sub cable, textile sheet and rubber sheet, which composed air spring, were conducted as a full scale model test. Then, air permeation test for the rubber sheet was also conducted. As a result, the proposed system was verified that it could be applied to the actual nuclear power plants.


Author(s):  
R. Lo Frano ◽  
G. Forasassi

Nuclear power plant (NPP) design is strictly dependent on the seismic hazards and safety aspects related to the external events of the site. Passive vibration isolators are the most simple and reliable means to protect sensitive equipment from environmental shocks and vibrations. This paper concerns the methodological approach to treat isolation applied to a near term deployment reactor and its internals structures in order to attain a suitable decrease of response spectra at each floor along the height of the structure. The aim of this evaluation is to determine the seismic resistance capability of as-built structures systems and components in the event of the considered Safe Shutdown earthquake (SSE). The use of anti-seismic techniques, such as seismic isolation (SI) and passive energy dissipation, seems able to ensure the full integrity and operability of important structures and systems even in very severe seismic conditions. Therefore the seismic dynamic loadings, propagated up to the main reactor system and components, may be reduced by using the developed base-isolation system (high flexibility for horizontal motions) that might combine suitable dampers with the isolating components to support reactor structures and building. To investigate and analyze the effects of the mentioned earthquake on the considered reactor internals, a deterministic methodological approach, based on the evaluation of the propagation of seismic waves along the structure, was used. To the purpose of this study a numerical assessment of dynamic structural response behaviour of the structures was accomplished by means of the finite element approach and setting up, as accurately as possible, a representative three-dimensional model of mentioned NPP structures. The obtained results in terms of response spectra (carried out from both cases of isolated and not isolated seismic analyses) were compared in order to highlight the isolation technique effectiveness.


Author(s):  
Seiji Kitamura ◽  
Masaki Morishita ◽  
Shuichi Yabana ◽  
Kazuta Hirata ◽  
Katsuhiko Umeki

The seismic isolation technology is planned to introduce to the next generation’s fast breeder reactor (FBR) plants in order to reduce seismic load subjected to components. To grasp the ultimate behavior of a seismically isolated plant under extremely strong earthquake at a level beyond the design ground motions and to establish ultimate strength design methods of seismic isolators, we made a series of shaking table test with large test specimen of seismically isolated FBR plants. The ultimate behavior test was performed using one of the world largest three-dimensional shaking tables “E-Defense” of National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention of Japan to obtain ultimate behavior data of a technologically-feasible large scale model. Test specimen consists of concrete blocks, reinforced concrete walls and isolation layer with six laminated rubber bearing with lead plug (LBR). The gross mass of upper structure of the test specimen is about 600ton. The diameter of the LRB is 505mm that reduced prototype dimensions to about 1/3. In this study, the following three behaviors were assumed as the ultimate behavior of the seismic isolation system; 1) loss of response reduction function of the isolation system by hardening of rubber, 2) non-linear response behavior by the cracking of the concrete wall and 3) braking of the LRB. When the input acceleration level increased, the test specimen was designed to show the ultimate behavior in the above-mentioned order. The ultimate behavior test of the seismic isolation system was carried out on the condition of two input waves by using two test specimen sets of the same dimensions. In this paper, details of the test specimen including the LRB and loading conditions are described. Response behavior of the test specimen under design ground motions is also reported. The restoring force characteristics of the LRBs were stable. The response acceleration of a horizontal direction measured at the upper structure of the specimen was reduced. Prior to the ultimate behavior tests with strong input waves, the response reduction functions of the test specimen under design ground motions were confirmed.


Author(s):  
Takahiro Shimada ◽  
Junji Suhara ◽  
Kazuhiko Inoue

Three dimensional (3D) seismic isolation devices have been developed to use for the base isolation system of the heavy building like a nuclear reactor building. The developed seismic isolation system is composed of rolling seal type air springs and the hydraulic type springs with rocking suppression system for vertical base isolation device. In horizontal direction, the same laminated rubber bearings are used as horizontal isolation device for these systems. The performances and the applicability have already been evaluated by the technical feasibility tests and performance tests for each system. In this study, it was evaluated that the performance of the 3D base isolation system with rolling seal type air springs combined with hydraulic rocking suppression devices. A 1/7 scaled model of the 3D base isolation devices were manufactured and some performance test were executed for each device. For the rolling seal type air springs, dynamic loading test was executed with a vibration table, and pressure resistant ability test was executed for reinforced air springs. In the dynamic loading test, it is confirmed that the natural period and damping performance were verified. In the pressure resistant ability test, it is confirmed that the air springs had sufficient strength. For the hydraulic rocking suppression system, forced dynamic loading test was carried out in order to measure the frictional and oil flow resistance force on each cylinder. And the vibration table tests were carried out with supported weight of 228 MN in order to evaluate and to confirm the horizontal and vertical isolation performance, rocking suppression performance, and the applicability of the this seismic isolation system as the combined system. 4 rolling seal type air springs and 4 hydraulic load-carrying cylinders with rocking suppression devices supported the weight. As a result, the proposed system was verified that it could be applied to the actual nuclear power plant building to be target.


2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 175-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nagahide Kani ◽  

Japan has the world’s highest number of seismic-isolation structures - a figure that has been gradually increasing since the 1995 South Hyogo earthquake that devastated Kobe and its environs. It is the main reason that two seismically isolated buildings in Kobe have shown good performance during and after earthquakes. As the awareness of the benefits of seismic isolation has grown, it is being accepted more among people, to maintain structural safety and functionality during and after earthquakes. Safety, property value, and functionality must be maintained by the earthquake-resistance performance of buildings. This seismic isolation system is the appropriate earthquake-resistant method in consideration of satisfying these three items, and positive in the design of structures, such as residences, hospitals, and high-rise buildings, then in retrofitting. This paper focuses on the current status of seismically isolated structures and problems in seismic isolation design.


Author(s):  
Akihito Otani ◽  
Teruyoshi Otoyo ◽  
Hideo Hirai ◽  
Hirohide Iiizumi ◽  
Hiroshi Shimizu ◽  
...  

This paper, which is part of the series entitled “Development of an Evaluation Method for Seismic Isolation Systems of Nuclear Power Facilities”, shows the linear seismic response of crossover piping installed in a seismically isolated plant. The crossover piping, supported by both isolated and non-isolated buildings, deforms with large relative displacement between the two buildings and the seismic response of the crossover piping is caused by two different seismic excitations from the buildings. A flexible and robust structure is needed for the high-pressure crossover piping. In this study, shaking tests on a 1/10 scale piping model and FEM analyses were performed to investigate the seismic response of the crossover piping which was excited and deformed by two different seismic motions under isolated and non-isolated conditions. Specifically, as linear response analysis of the crossover piping, modal time-history analysis and response spectrum analysis with multiple excitations were carried out and the applicability of the analyses was confirmed. Moreover, the seismic response of actual crossover piping was estimated and the feasibility was evaluated.


Author(s):  
Teruyoshi Otoyo ◽  
Akihito Otani ◽  
Shunsuke Fukushima ◽  
Masakazu Jimbo ◽  
Tomofumi Yamamoto ◽  
...  

This paper provides a part of the series titled “Development of an Evaluation Method for Seismic Isolation Systems of Nuclear Power Facilities”. This part shows the failure behavior of crossover piping installed in a seismic isolated plant. The considered crossover piping is supported on one side by an isolated building and by a non-isolated building on the other side. During an earthquake, the piping structure is deformed due to the large relative displacements between the two buildings and at the same time excited by the different building seismic responses. Therefore, the high-pressure crossover piping structure requires both flexibility and strength. In this study, 1/10 scaled shaking tests and FEM analyses have been performed to investigate the failure behavior of the crossover piping, where both seismic motions and excitations have been taken into account. It was confirmed that the failure occurs at the piping elbow through low cycle fatigue. Moreover, the results of the elastic-plastic response analysis, which simulates an extreme level of excitation corresponding to more than three times the design level, are in good agreement with the test results. The simulation also succeeded in predicting the experimental failure location.


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