• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.69-74
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• 2023

The paper presents the results investigating the effect of aircraft engine impact location on the intended function evaluation results of spent nuclear fuel transport cask. As a result of the investigation, it is found that the structural integrity is maintained as the maximum accumulated equivalent plastic strain is below the acceptable criterion regardless of the collision location. It is identified that when the aircraft engine collided with the upper part of the transport cask without considering impact limiter the containment performance is weakened compared to when the aircraft engine collided with the central part.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.505-517
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• 2016

The structural integrity of a dual-purpose metal cask currently under development by the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD) was evaluated, through numerical simulations and a model test, under high-speed missile impact reflecting targeted aircraft crash conditions. The impact conditions were carefully chosen through a survey on accident cases and recommendations from literature. In the impact scenario, a missile flying horizontally hits the top side of the cask, which is freestanding on a concrete pad, with a velocity of 150 m/s. A simplified missile simulating a commercial aircraft engine was designed from an impact loade-time function available in literature. In the analyses, the dynamic behavior of the metal cask and the integrity of the containment boundary were assessed. The simulation results were compared with the test results for a 1:3 scale model. Although the dynamic behavior of the cask in the model test did not match exactly with the prediction from the numerical simulation, other structural responses, such as the acceleration and strain history during the impact, showed very good agreement. Moreover, the containment function of the cask survived the missile impact as expected from the numerical simulation. Thus, the procedure and methodology adopted in the structural numerical analyses were successfully validated.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 2013

In this study, the structural performance of nuclear power plant containment buildings, which are made of steel fiber reinforced concrete(SFRC) and subject to aircraft crash, is examined by finite element analyses. The applied loads by aircraft crash against the buildings are modeled using Riera impact load function and by the varying aircraft contact area with respect to time. CSCM concrete model in LS-DYNA is employed to model SFRC. The parameters for the material model are determined from SFRC strength prediction models. Based on the volume ratio of steel fiber in SFRC, the structural performance of nuclear containment buildings subject to aircraft crash are analysed using a commercial finite element analysis program LS-DYNA. The safety assessments of the buildings subject to the crash are discussed and the effectiveness of SFRC for nuclear power plant containment building on the increase of aircraft crash resistance is also evaluated.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.263-278
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• 2019

Since the 1970s, aircraft crash accidents have been considered as one of the severest external events that should be evaluated for license application of nuclear reactors. After the 9.11 terrorist attacks, many countries have performed safety assessment against intentional or targeted aircraft crashes into nuclear related facilities. In some countries, assessment against targeted aircraft crash was enforced by regulation and considered an important task for license approval. Safety assessment against aircraft crash is a technically difficult task and many countries manage R&D programs to improve its reliability. In this paper, regulations of many countries regarding safety assessment against aircraft crash are summarized, separating regulations for accident aircraft crash and those for targeted aircraft crash. Research performed in various countries on safety assessment of nuclear facility against aircraft crash are summarized, with a focus on spent nuclear fuel dry storage facilities.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.3085-3099
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• 2021

Investigations of large commercial aircraft impact effect on nuclear power plant (NPP) buildings have been drawing extensive attentions, particularly after the 9/11 event, and this paper aims to numerically assess the damage and vibrations of NPP buildings subjected to aircrafts crash. In Part I of present paper, two shots of reduce-scaled model test of aircraft impact on NPP were conducted based on the large rocket sled loading test platform. In the present part, the numerical simulations of both scaled and prototype aircraft impact on NPP buildings are further performed by adopting the commercial program LS-DYNA. Firstly, the refined finite element (FE) models of both scaled aircraft and NPP models in Part I are established, and the model impact test is numerically simulated. The validities of the adopted numerical algorithm, constitutive model and the corresponding parameters are verified based on the experimental NPP model damages and accelerations. Then, the refined simulations of prototype A380 aircraft impact on a hypothetical NPP building are further carried out. It indicates that the NPP building can totally withstand the impact of A380 at a velocity of 150 m/s, while the accompanied intensive vibrations may still lead to different levels of damage on the nuclear related equipment. Referring to the guideline NEI07-13, a maximum acceleration contour is plotted and the shock damage propagation distances under aircraft impact are assessed, which indicates that the nuclear equipment located within 11.5 m from the impact point may endure malfunction. Finally, by respectively considering the rigid and deformable impacts mainly induced by aircraft engine and fuselage, an improved Riera function is proposed to predict the impact force of aircraft A380.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.73-87
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• 2015

In case of aircraft impact on nuclear containment structures, the initial kinetic energy of the aircraft is transferred and absorbed by the outer containment, may causing either complete or partial failure of containment structure. In the present study safety analysis of BWR Mark III type containment has been performed. The total height of containment is 67 m. It has a circular wall with monolithic dome of 21m diameter. Crash analysis has been performed for fighter jet Phantom F4. A normal hit at the crown of containment dome has been considered. Numerical simulations have been carried out using finite element code ABAQUS/Explicit. Concrete Damage Plasticity model have been incorporated to simulate the behaviour of concrete at high strain rate, while Johnson-Cook elasto-visco model of ductile metals have been used for steel reinforcement. Maximum deformation in the containment building has reported as 33.35 mm against crash of Phantom F4. Deformations in concrete and reinforcements have been localised to the impact region. Moreover, no significant global damage has been observed in structure. It may be concluded from the present study that at higher velocity of aircraft perforation of the structure may happen.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.381-396
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• 2020

Investigations of the commercial aircraft impact effect on nuclear island infrastructures have been drawing extensive attention, and this paper aims to perform the safety assessment of Generation III nuclear power plant (NPP) buildings subjected to typical commercial aircrafts crash. At present Part I, finite element (FE) models establishment and validations for both the aircrafts and NPP buildings are performed. (i) Airbus A320 and A380 aircrafts are selected as the representative medium and large commercial aircrafts, and the corresponding fine FE models including the skin, beam, fuel and etc. are established. By comparing the numerically derived impact force time-histories with the existing published literatures, the rationality of aircrafts models is verified. (ii) Fine FE model of the Chinese Zhejiang Sanao NPP buildings is established, including the detailed structures and reinforcing arrangement of both the containment and auxiliary buildings. (iii) By numerically reproducing the existing 1/7.5 scaled aircraft model impact tests on steel plate reinforced concrete (SC) panels and assessing the impact process and velocity time-history of aircraft model, as well as the damage and the maximum deflection of SC panels, the applicability of the existing three concrete constitutive models (i.e., K&C, Winfrith and CSC) are evaluated and the superiority of Winfrith model for SC panels under deformable missile impact is verified. The present work can provide beneficial reference for the integral aircraft crash analyses and structural damage assessment in the following two parts of this paper.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.411-425
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• 2017

Using a probabilistic safety assessment, a risk evaluation framework for an aircraft crash into an interim spent fuel storage facility is presented. Damage evaluation of a detailed generic cask model in a simplified building structure under an aircraft impact is discussed through a numerical structural analysis and an analytical fragility assessment. Sequences of the impact scenario are shown in a developed event tree, with uncertainties considered in the impact analysis and failure probabilities calculated. To evaluate the influence of parameters relevant to design safety, risks are estimated for three specification levels of cask and storage facility structures. The proposed assessment procedure includes the determination of the loading parameters, reference impact scenario, structural response analyses of facility walls, cask containment, and fuel assemblies, and a radiological consequence analysis with dose-risk estimation. The risk results for the proposed scenario in this study are expected to be small relative to those of design basis accidents for best-estimated conservative values. The importance of this framework is seen in its flexibility to evaluate the capability of the facility to withstand an aircraft impact and in its ability to anticipate potential realistic risks; the framework also provides insight into epistemic uncertainty in the available data and into the sensitivity of the design parameters for future research.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2010

Introduction : Head trauma is the main cause of death in aircraft crash. In a Michigan study of structurally survivable, fatal accidents, 80% of the fatally injured had received head trauma. We tried to develop a new helmet for passengers, and perform its efficiency test. Methods : An aircraft helmet requires an excellent protection against head trauma, lightness, and small volumes. In addition, it must be wearable, fire resistant, and non toxic when it is burning. We developed two new helmets made from silicone foam which met all theses requirements. One was thin (2.5cm), and the other was thick (6.3cm). These looked like a motorcycle helmet and had only a soft silicone as liner material without an outer hard shell. Therefore we can carry them easily inside aircrafts. The standard test for helmet is Snell's drop test. It measures the impact acceleration of head shaped metal wearing helmet during we drop it at certain heights. Impact sites were total 5 sites (front, back, right, left and top) for each helmet. All these sites were impacted twice. Results : The thickness of impact sites varied from 2.5cm to 6.3cm. The impact acceleration of 2.5cm thickness site when it was dropped from 1.0 meter was 379g. But, that of 6.3cm thickness site when it was dropped from 1.5 meter was only 163g. Unfortunately, both helmets didn't meet the Snell Standard for motorcycle helmets. Discussion : If we add suitable outer hard shell, and change its thickness and design, the efficiency will be increased. A study indicated that helmet could reduce the risk of head trauma up to 85%. We made helmet for passengers in aircraft crash for the first time. If we improve its weak points, it will decrease the frequency of head trauma in aircraft craft.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.397-416
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• 2020

Investigations of the commercial aircraft impact effect on nuclear island infrastructures have been drawing extensive attention, and this paper aims to perform the safety assessment of Generation III nuclear power plant (NPP) buildings subjected to typical commercial aircrafts crash. At present Part II, based on the verified finite element (FE) models of aircrafts Airbus A320 and A380, as well as the NPP containment and auxiliary buildings in Part I of this paper, the whole collision process is reproduced numerically by adopting the coupled missile-target interaction approach with the finite element code LS-DYNA. The impact induced damage of NPP plant under four impact locations of containment (cylinder, air intake, conical roof and PCS water tank) and two impact locations of auxiliary buildings (exterior wall and roof of spent fuel pool room) are evaluated. Furthermore, by considering the inner structures in the containment and raft foundation of NPP, the structural vibration analyses are conducted under two impact locations (middle height of cylinder, main control room in the auxiliary buildings). It indicates that, within the discussed scenarios, NPP structures can withstand the impact of both two aircrafts, while the functionality of internal equipment on higher floors will be affected to some extent under impact induced vibrations, and A380 aircraft will cause more serious structural damage and vibrations than A320 aircraft. The present work can provide helpful references to assess the safety of the structures and inner equipment of NPP plant under commercial aircraft impact.