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U.S. Department of Energy
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Puncture of shielded radioactive material shipping containers. Part I. Analysis and results

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6056816

Improved analytical methods for predicting puncture of radioactive material shipping containers are reported. Fifty nine static and dynamic puncture tests of lead-backed, uranium-backed, and unbacked flat, circular, stainless steel plates with several mild-steel punch configurations were conducted. It was found that analytical puncture prediction requires two essential elements: (1) a code that will accurately track stress and displacement throughout the event, and (2) a criterion for identifying when and if puncture occurs. (The puncture event is not self-evident from the calculation.) We coupled the NIKE2D finite element code with the puncture criteria - a shear stress criterion for the lead-backed plates and a maximum effective plastic strain criterion for the uranium-backed plates; the results agreed very well with the test data.

Research Organization:
California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
6056816
Report Number(s):
NUREG/CR-0930(Pt.1); UCRL-52638(Pt.1)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English