Analysis methods for hazardous materials accidents

A research program has examined the potential hazards to nuclear power plants arising from accidents involving the transport or storage of hazardous materials in the vicinity of the plant. The work focused on three (generic) hazardous environments: toxic, overpressure and thermal. Analysis methods and models were developed for evaluating the magnitude of the hazard and the capacity of the plant to respond while remaining within design safety limits. For toxic materials, a general set of toxicological models was developed for predicting personnel incapacitation. An interactive computer program was written for modeling such toxic material accidents and assessing the likeihood of control room operator incapacitation. For explosive materials, the capacity of reinforced concrete structures to safely absorb blast loadings was estimated; both solid explosives and fuel-air detonations were included. For very large external fires, a thermal response analysis for concrete walls was performed and a simple method for predicting the thermal output of large fires was developed