On the structural behavior of pressurized pipings under excessive-stresses caused by earthquake loadings

There has been much discussion concerning the method of stress evaluation for the primary stress under seismic loading in Japan. To resolve this problem, the sub-committee of Japan Electric Association performed experiments in a series of 'Study on Limit Design of Nuclear Energy Facility under Earthquake' from 1971 to 1973. The main purpose of this experiment is to evaluate the safety margin to the allowable stress of 'Faulted Condition' in NB 3656.2, Appendix F-1360, of ASME Code Section III. The results show that an allowable value described in ASME Section III is conservative having a margin by 1.3 to approximately 8.3 to the 3.0 Sm limit and pipe material still remain in an elastic behavior. (Auth.)