Numerical calculation of pressure wave propagation and loading resulting from the postulated burst of a spherical PWR-steel containment during the pressure test

With the help of the numerical calculation program PISCES-2 DELK pressure wave propagation phenomena are calculated with regard to the postulated failure of the containment during the pressure test. The failure mechanism is presupposed to be due to spontaneous failure on the one hand and a temporal given way of the opening function on the other hand. The propagation calculations with regard to pressure, velocity and contours of material have been made 1-dimensional, that is to say, spherosymmetrical, as well as 2-dimensional with one unit depth. In the so-called near region especially the interaction between fluid and structure is tested whereas in the far region the pressure-time-histories are of special interest. A comparison of the numerical results has shown that the 1-dimensional pressure wave propagation corresponds with the theory of linear shock waves