A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Experimental and computational synergy for modelling an advanced gas‐cooled reactor core under seismic excitation
The advanced gas‐cooled reactors (AGRs) are the backbone of the United Kingdom's nuclear generation fleet, producing approximately 17% of the country's electricity. Their safety cases are supported by thorough inspection and monitoring of their graphite cores and extensive theoretical, analytical, and experimental studies. This paper presents a unique, highly innovative and technically challenging earthquake engineering project that has provided vital evidence to underpin the seismic safety assessments of the AGRs. Two modelling approaches, one experimental (a multilayer array physical model), and one numerical (a SOLFEC nonsmooth contact dynamics computational model) have been developed to investigate the seismic behaviour of an aged graphite core. The synergetic relationship between the two approaches is a product of insightful collaborative learning between the University of Bristol and Atkins, with the experiments providing material parameters and validation data and the computer simulations feeding array design and test schedule recommendations to the physical model. The predictive capabilities of the physical and the numerical models are tested by direct comparison and the good agreement between the results has increased the confidence in both. The model's versatility allows a variety of core scenarios to be tested that can explore in detail the AGR core behaviour in seismic conditions.
Experimental and computational synergy for modelling an advanced gas‐cooled reactor core under seismic excitation
The advanced gas‐cooled reactors (AGRs) are the backbone of the United Kingdom's nuclear generation fleet, producing approximately 17% of the country's electricity. Their safety cases are supported by thorough inspection and monitoring of their graphite cores and extensive theoretical, analytical, and experimental studies. This paper presents a unique, highly innovative and technically challenging earthquake engineering project that has provided vital evidence to underpin the seismic safety assessments of the AGRs. Two modelling approaches, one experimental (a multilayer array physical model), and one numerical (a SOLFEC nonsmooth contact dynamics computational model) have been developed to investigate the seismic behaviour of an aged graphite core. The synergetic relationship between the two approaches is a product of insightful collaborative learning between the University of Bristol and Atkins, with the experiments providing material parameters and validation data and the computer simulations feeding array design and test schedule recommendations to the physical model. The predictive capabilities of the physical and the numerical models are tested by direct comparison and the good agreement between the results has increased the confidence in both. The model's versatility allows a variety of core scenarios to be tested that can explore in detail the AGR core behaviour in seismic conditions.
Experimental and computational synergy for modelling an advanced gas‐cooled reactor core under seismic excitation
Dihoru, Luiza (author) / Oddbjornsson, Olafur (author) / Cannell, Ben (author) / Crewe, Adam J. (author) / Horseman, Tony (author) / Dietz, Matt (author) / Taylor, Colin A. (author)
Earthquake Engineering & Structural Dynamics ; 49 ; 1308-1328
2020-10-25
21 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
Seismic modeling and analysis for sodium-cooled fast reactor
| British Library Online Contents | 2012
Seismic Responses of N-Reactor Core
| British Library Conference Proceedings | 1999
Seismic Response of Underground Structure under Vertical Seismic Excitation
| British Library Conference Proceedings | 2014
Structural reliability under evolutionary seismic excitation
| Elsevier | 1983