A criterion for determining exceedance of the operating basis earthquake: Final report
A criterion is recommended for determining whether the Operating Basis Earthquake (OBE) has been exceeded after the occurrence of a seismic event at a nuclear power plant. The technical procedure provides a fast and effective means for assessing the damage potential of any ''felt'' earthquake in the first few hours after occurrence. For OBE exceedance to occur, the recommended criterion requires exceedance of both a response spectrum parameter and a second damage parameter, referred to as the Cumulative Absolute Velocity (CAV). The detailed operational requirements for implementing the criterion are provided. The criterion was developed, based on a study of earthquake damage to conventional buildings, review of past damage to power plants and heavy industrial facilities, blast damage, fragility data and equipment vibration performance, to ensure that ground motions greater than Modified Mercalli Intensity VI are conservatively identified as exceeding the OBE. Based on direct correlations of the criterion parameters with damage data, ground motions which cause damage to buildings of good design and construction (which in general are not as seismically strong as nuclear facilities) are a factor of at least 1.5 larger than the recommended criterion threshold values. This ensures adequate conservatism in the criterion. Issues related to OBE exceedance, including the history of the OBE, regulatory and operational issues, plant operation concerns, current industry activities related to OBE exceedance and recent earthquake experience are discussed in the report.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA); Benjamin (J.R.) and Associates, Inc., Mountain View, CA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6968267
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-NP-5930; ON: TI88013634; TRN: 88-027759
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Demonstrate Ames Laboratory capability in Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA)
Demonstration of NonLinear Seismic Soil Structure Interaction and Applicability to New System Fragility Seismic Curves
Related Subjects
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
SEISMIC EFFECTS
BUILDINGS
DAMAGE
EARTHQUAKE MAGNITUDE
EARTHQUAKES
GROUND MOTION
PROGRESS REPORT
REACTOR OPERATION
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTOR SHUTDOWN
RECOMMENDATIONS
REGULATIONS
SEISMIC EVENTS
DOCUMENT TYPES
MOTION
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OPERATION
POWER PLANTS
SAFETY
SHUTDOWNS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
220200 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Components & Accessories