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Title: Analysis of nuclear material shipping containers using a three-dimensional, dynamic finite-element program

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6310847

The methods employed at Sandia National Laboratories to conduct 3-D analyses of the structural response of nuclear-material shipping containers to regulatory and accident environments are described. First, the pre-processing program used to construct the finite-element model of the container is described, followed by a discussion of the computer program utilized to calculate the deformations and the stresses in the container. Third, the post-processing programs and their options are described. This is followed by a group of examples from various container analyses to illustrate the modeling, analysis, and presentation of the results. Three-dimensional, finite-element analyses are rapidly becoming feasible due to advances in both computer hardware and software. Since many regulatory and accident environments are 3-D in nature, these analyses allow the structural behavior of nuclear materials shipping containers in response to these environments to be predicted. By using appropriate pre-processing and post-processing programs, the models can be created in a reasonable and economical period of time, and the results can be displayed in a way that increases the understanding of the results of the analyses.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
6310847
Report Number(s):
SAND-83-1097C; CONF-830528-7; ON: DE83011859
Resource Relation:
Conference: 7. international symposium on packaging and transportation of radioactive materials, New Orleans, LA, USA, 15 May 1983; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English