Comparison of predicted and measured data of prestressed containment long term deformation

Concrete containment is the most important security barrier in a nuclear power plant (NPP). Therefore, the long-term behavior of this construction should be carefully analyzed. Several models have been developed to predict the long-term behavior of concrete structures. Some are part of the standards. However, these are usually not sufficient to assess the long-term behavior of concrete containment of the NPP. The mechanical behavior of the containment at the Temelin nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic was analyzed and its long-term behavior was based on the data until 2003, i.e. after 3 years of operation of the 1st block. The containment of this power plant is very well equipped with sensors and is continuously monitored. In 2008, at the CONCREEP conference, Watanabe published the results of long-term measurements of selected pre-tensioned bridges in Japan which exhibit significantly greater deflections than was declared in the project. The subject of this paper is to compare our 2004 forecast with current measured data after 16 years of operation of the NPP. (author)