Evaluation of the thermal strain of an NPP containment structure during leakage rate tests. (15th December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Xuguang; Huang, Xu; Kwon, Oh-Sung; Bentz, Evan; Tcherner, Julia; DeMerchant, Mark; Moland, Mark
• Is Part Of: Engineering structures. Volume 201(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-12-15
• Subjects: Thermal strain -- Containment structure -- Solar radiation; Structural engineering -- Periodicals; Structural analysis (Engineering) -- Periodicals; Construction, Technique de la -- Périodiques; Génie parasismique -- Périodiques; Pression du vent -- Périodiques; Earthquake engineering; Structural engineering; Wind-pressure; Periodicals; 624.105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2019.109761
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0141-0296

Abstract

Highlights: Fluctuation of strain during LRT of a containment structure is due to temperature. A method has developed to run thermo-mechanical analysis of a containment structure. Strain history from the numerical analysis agrees well with field measurements. The proposed method can be potentially used to remove noise in measured strain. Abstract: A strategy for isolating the thermal strain due to solar radiation from the total measured strain during the Integrated Leak Rate Test of a nuclear containment structure is presented in this paper. In the proposed method, a series of numerical models are developed to estimate the temperature change on the prestressed concrete containment structure and to predict the strain due to temperature and applied pressure. The effects of the solar radiation, heat exchange with internal and external air and heat conduction are considered in the proposed method. The developed method is validated by reproducing the total strain profiles measured from the leak rate tests conducted at the Point Lepreau CANDU® 1 6 containment structure.