Containment integrity program: Chapter 10

During severe accidents, containment structures may be subjected to loading conditions well past those for which they were designed. Estimating the containment structural response for severe loadings often requires analytical methods that are considerably more complex than the linear-elastic methods that are generally used in the design process. In addition to the possibility of structural failure during severe accidents, containment structures may leak significantly before, or instead of, failing structurally. To qualify the structural-analytical methods and obtain qualitative information on containment leakage, Sandia National Laboratories is conducting a combined experimental and analytical program for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Background information and progress on the containment Integrity Program have been previously reported. More recently, preliminary experimental results and program plans were presented. In the present paper, the most recent results and updated plans are emphasized