Structural Evaluation and Seismic Response of the PRR-1 SATER Core Tank and Core Support Structures

This paper reports the findings on the structural evaluation of the Philippine Research Reactor-1 Subcritical Assembly for Training, Education, and Research (PRR-1 SATER) conducted by the external consultant commissioned by the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI). This evaluation was conducted to demonstrate the structural integrity under various load combinations of the PRR-1 SATER structures, which were designed and developed by PNRI. Structures that were evaluated include the core tank, core support structure, and the work platform of the PRR-1 SATER. Structural evaluation was performed by employing the finite element method to obtain accurate structural responses to the combined seismic and fluid loads. The structural responses to the combined applied loads were obtained using displacement-based and stress-based superposition methods. The SATER engineering design was evaluated against the National Structural Code of the Philippines 2015 and other relevant standards. Results demonstrate that the engineering design of the PRR-1 SATER structures is sufficient against the criteria and the design is capable of resisting all credible load combinations.