Fuel storage basin seismic analysis

The 105-KE and 105-KW Fuel Storage Basins were constructed more than 35 years ago as repositories for irradiated fuel from the K East and K West Reactors. Currently, the basins contain irradiated fuel from the N Reactor. To continue to use the basins as desired, seismic adequacy in accordance with current US Department of Energy facility requirements must be demonstrated. The 105-KE and 105-KW Basins are reinforced concrete, belowground reservoirs with a 16-ft water depth. The entire water retention boundary, which currently includes a portion of the adjacent reactor buildings, must be qualified for the Hanford Site design basis earthquake. The reactor building interface joints are sealed against leakage with rubber water stops. Demonstration of the seismic adequacy of these interface joints was initially identified as a key issue in the seismic qualification effort. The complexities of resolving the water stop joint issues resulted in the decision to modify the basins and physically isolate these joints from the water retention boundary. In addition to normal structural limits, the issue of water leakage through seismicly induced cracks was also investigated. This issue, coupled with the relatively complex geometry of the basins, dictated a need for three-dimensional modeling. A three-dimensional soil/structure interaction model was developed with the SASSI computer code. The development of three-dimensional models of the interfacing structures using the ANSYS code was also found to be necessary