Experimental study of dynamic behavior of piping systems under maximum load conditions - testing

Several small piping systems typical of those being installed in KWU nuclear power plants were tested on a shake table to determine their capability of surviving extreme low-frequency and high-frequency loads where large displacements, accelerations, and even plastic strains occured. In spite of these large loads, which were considerably in excess of those allowed by linear-elastic theoretical analysis, the piping systems survived without collapse, leaks, or loss of pressure. An independent biaxial shaking frame was used which was capable of providing points anywhere in a three-dimensional volume, 4 meters high, 5 meters wide and 15 meters long. 3 refs