Earthquake resistance test of full-scale glove box

A glove box used at nuclear facilities must confine radioactive materials. High airtightness and negative internal pressure are used to prevent leaks. The allowable leakage rate of air is 0.1% vol/hr or less at the pre-service inspection. The negative pressure value is kept at - 30 mm H2O in normal operation. The glove box structural strength and its confinement reliability during an earthquake are major concerns. The verification of aseismic analysis methods and assumptions for a glove box are thus of great importance. Data on the dynamic behavior of giant glove boxes was recently obtained in large shaker experiments. This paper describes these experimental results and the appropriateness of aseismic analysis methods used in current design