Seismic analysis of high density spent fuel storage racks

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Am. Soc. Mech. Eng., (Pap.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5381335

Harstead, G A; Morris, N P; Unsal, A I

In many nuclear power plants the spent fuel assemblies are stored underwater in a spent fuel storage pool, in racks comprised of tall, lightweight steel containers. The important dynamic load acting on these racks is, of course, the seismic load. It has been customary to include the mass of the assemblies in the computation of the seismic response using a spectral analysis. While such an approach is reasonable for most structures, it can be argued whether it is appropriate for a system wherein a large, freely moving mass is contained in a lightweight enclosure. Designers have recently opted for the use of freestanding fuel racks. Such racks are connected to neither the pool walls or floor. While this design innovation ensures the integrity of the pool, it creates new problems, such as the effect of sliding or overturning of the racks under seismic load. There are also the hazards of impact. These must be computed in order to be balanced against the advantages of freestanding racks in reducing the seismic forces acting on the storage system. A special-purpose computer program, FRAK, is presented in this paper for the seismic analysis of high-density freestanding spent fuel storage racks. This program describes the effect of hydrodynamic forces due to the water between the fuel racks and the pool walls, possible sliding with the aid of Coulomb damping, possible impact, and possible overturning. FRAK is a non-linear time-history response program and requires the input of an accelerogram.

• Research Organization: Harstead Engineering Associates, Inc., Park Ridge
• OSTI ID: 5381335
• Report Number(s): CONF-830607-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Soc. Mech. Eng., (Pap.); (United States) Journal Volume: 83-NE-11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050900* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
DAMPING
DESIGN
DYNAMIC LOADS
FORECASTING
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL POOLS
FUEL RACKS
IMPACT SHOCK
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
SEISMIC EFFECTS
SEISMIC WAVES
SPENT FUEL STORAGE
STORAGE
STRESS ANALYSIS
SUPPORTS