Preliminary analysis and instrumentation planning of a prestressed concrete containment vessel model

A series of static overpressurization tests of scale models of nuclear containment structures is being conducted by Sandia National Laboratories for the Nuclear Power Engineering Corporation of Japan and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. As part of this program, a 1:4-scale model of a prestressed concrete containment vessel (PCCV) will be pressurized up to its ultimate capacity. One of the key program objectives is to develop validated methods to predict the structural performance of containment vessels when subjected to beyond design bases loadings. An analysis effort including two and three-dimensional nonlinear finite element analysis of the PCCV test model is being conducted to evaluate the models structural performance under very high internal pressurization. The associated tasks include the preliminary prediction of failure pressure and probable failure locations and the development of models to be used in the detailed failure analysis. This paper describes the preliminary analysis effort and plans for the instrumentation of the PCCV model. The preliminary analysis effort serves to provide guidance for placement of instrumentation and identify candidate failure modes. The instrumentation, consisting of approximately 2000 channels of data, is designed to monitor the response of the model during prestressing operations, during structural integrity and integrated leak rate testing, and during the test to failure of the model. (author)