Stress analysis of the liner and liner anchorage system near penetrations in a reinforced concrete reactor containment

An overpressurization experiment was conducted on a scale-model of a reinforced concrete containment building. The test was terminated when tears formed in the steel liner. Virtually all leakage occurred through a large tear that propagated along the edge of a thickened insert plate that surrounded a piping penetration. This paper describes the results of a post-test finite element analysis of this region. Results of the analysis indicate that the large tear initiated due to high strains produced by a stud anchor. The results of the analysis also suggest that a relatively simple analytical technique can be used to estimate the pressure at which tears will initiate near penetrations in lined containment structures. 5 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab