• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.448-456
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• 2016

Severe accident scenarios in nuclear reactors, such as nuclear meltdown, reveal that an extremely hot molten core may fall into the nuclear reactor cavity and seriously affect the safety of the nuclear containment vessel due to the chain reaction caused by the reaction between the molten core and concrete. This paper reports on research focused on the type and amount of vapor produced during the reaction between a high-temperature molten core and concrete, as well as on the erosion rate of concrete and the heat transfer characteristics at its vicinity. This study identifies themass fraction and melting temperature as the most influential properties of concrete necessary for a safety analysis conducted in relation to the thermal interaction between the molten core and the basemat concrete. The types of concrete that are actually used in nuclear reactor cavities were investigated. The $H_2O$ content in concrete required for the computation of the relative amount of gases generated by the chemical reaction of the vapor, the quantity of $CO_2$ necessary for computing the cooling speed of the molten core, and the melting temperature of concrete are evaluated experimentally for the molten core-concrete interaction analysis.

• 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.03b
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• pp.268-271
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• 2008

If a reactor vessel is failed to retain a molten corium in a postulated severe accident, the molten corium is released outside the reactor vessel into a reactor cavity. The molten corium would attack the concrete wall and basemat of the reactor cavity, which may lead to inevitable concrete decompositions and possible radiological releases. In the OECD/MCCI project, a series of tests were performed to secure the data for cooling the molten corium spread out at the reactor cavity and for the long-term CCI (Core Concrete Interaction). Also, a MCCI (Molten Core Concrete Interaction) analysis code, CORQUENCH was upgraded at Argonne National Laboratory with embedding the new models developed for the tests. This paper deals with analyses of MCCI at plant scale under the conditions of top flooding using the upgraded CORQUENCH code. The modeling approach is briefly summarized first, followed by presentation of a validation calculation that illustrates the predicative capability of the modeling tool. With this background in place, the model is then used to carry out a parametric set of scoping calculations that define approximate coolability envelopes for the LCS (Limestone Common Sand) concrete that has been evaluated in the OECD/MCCI project.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.311-314
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• 2005

This research aims to analyze of prestressed composite hollow-core slab and box type steel beam. The smeared crack model used in abaqus for the modeling of hollow core reinforced concrete, including cracking of the concrete, rebar and concrete interaction using the tension stiffening concept, and rebar yield. The structure modeled is a simply supported hollow core spancrete slab subjected spa-h beams and prestressed in one direction. The hollow core spancrete slab is subjected to four-point bending. The concrete-rebar interaction that occur as the concrete begins to crack are of major importance in determining the spancrete slab's response between its initial, deformation and its collapse. This smeared crack model used in analysis involved non-liner concrete analysis concept.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.425-432
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• 2000

It has been an essential part for the safety assessment of nuclear power plants to understand various phenomena associated with the molten core-concrete interaction(MCCI) under severe accidents. In this study, the severe accident analysis code MELCOR was used to simulate the MCCI experiments such as SWISS and SURC test series which had been performed in Sandia National Laboratories(SNL). The calculation results were compared with corresponding experimental data such as melt temperature, concrete ablation distance, gas generation rate, and aerosol release rate. Good agreements were observed between MELCOR calculation and experimental data. The melt pool was sustained within the range of high temperature and the concrete ablation occurred continuously. The gas generation and aerosol release were under the influence of melt temperature and overlying water pool, respectively.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05b
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• pp.3491-3496
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• 2007

If a molten core is released from a reactor vessel into a reactor cavity during a severe accident, an important safety issue of coolability of the molten core from top-flooding and concrete ablation due to a molten core concrete interaction (MCCI) is still unresolved. The released molten core debris would attack the concrete wall and basemat of the reactor cavity, which will lead to inevitable concrete decompositions and possible radiological releases. In a OECD/MCCI project scheduled for 4 years from 2002. 1 to 2005. 12, a series of tests were performed to secure the data for cooling the molten core spread out at the reactor cavity and for the 2-D long-term core concrete interaction (CCI). The tests included not only separate effect tests such as a melt eruption, water ingression, and crust failure tests with a prototypic material but also 2-D CCI tests with a prototypic material under dry and flooded cavity conditions. The paper deals with the transient simulations on the CCI-2 test by using a severe accident analysis code, CORQUENCH, which was developed at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Similar simulations had been already per for me d by using MELCOR 1.8.5 code. Unlike the MELCOR 1.8.5, the CORQUENCH includes a melt eruption mode I and a newly developed water ingression model based on the water ingression tests under the OECD/MCCI project. In order to adjust the geometrical differences between the CCI-2 test (rectangular geometry) and the simulations (cylindrical geometry), the same scaling methodology as used in the MELCOR simulation was applied. For the direct comparison of the simulation results, the same inputs for the MELCOR simulation were used. The simulation results were compared with the previous results by using MELCOR 1.8.5.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.151-166
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• 2004

The interaction between concrete core expansion and deformation of perimeter ties has been known to have a significant effect on the effective confinement of rectangular reinforced concrete (RC) tied columns. This interaction produces passive confining pressure to the concrete core. Most existing models for determining the response of RC tied columns do not directly account for the influence of flexural stiffness of the ties and the variation of confining stress along the column height. This study presents a procedure for determining the confined compressive strength of RC square columns confined by rectilinear ties with various tie configurations considering directly the influence of flexural flexibility of the ties and the variation of confining stress along the vertical direction. The concept of area compatibility is employed to ensure compatibility of the concrete core and steel hoop in a global sense. The proposed procedure yields satisfactory predictions of confined strengths compared with experimental results, and the influence of tie flexibility, tie configuration and degree of confinement can be well captured.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.295-316
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• 2008

In the present paper a mechanical model to predict the compressive response of high strength short concrete columns with square cross-section confined by transverse steel is presented. The model allows one to estimate the equivalent confinement pressures exercised by transverse steel during the loading process taking into account of the interaction of the stirrups with the inner core both in the plane of the stirrups and in the space between two successive stirrups. The lateral pressure distributions at hoop levels are obtained by using a simple model of elastic beam on elastic medium simulating the interaction between stirrups and concrete core, including yielding of steel stirrups and damage of concrete core by means of the variation in the elastic modulus and in the Poisson's coefficient. Complete stress-strain curves in compression of confined concrete core are obtained considering the variation of the axial forces in the leg of the stirrup during the loading process. The model was compared with some others presented in the literature and it was validated on the basis of the existing experimental data. Finally, it was shown that the model allows one to include the main parameters governing the confinement problems of high strength concrete members such as: - the strength of plain concrete and its brittleness; - the diameter, the pitch and the yielding stress of the stirrups; - the diameter and the yielding stress of longitudinal bars; - the side of the member, etc.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.241-256
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• 2010

The interaction between steel tube and concrete core is the key issue for understanding the behavior of concrete-filled steel tube columns (CFTs). This study investigates the force transfer by natural bond or by mechanical shear connectors and the interaction between the steel tube and the concrete core under three types of loading. Two and three-dimensional nonlinear finite element models are developed to study the force transfer between steel tube and concrete core. The nonlinear finite element program ABAQUS is used. Material and geometric nonlinearities of concrete and steel are considered in the analysis. The damage plasticity model provided by ABAQUS is used to simulate the concrete material behavior. Comparisons between the finite element analyses and own experimental results are made to verify the finite element models. A good agreement is observed between the numerical and experimental results. Parametric studies using the numerical models are performed to investigate the effects of diameterto-thickness ratio, uniaxial compressive strength of concrete, length of shear connectors, and the tensile strength of shear connectors.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.53-67
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• 1985

The severe core meltdown accident, which is not included as a design basis accident, has high consequence and low probability of occurrence and turns out to be a major risk factor in the overall risk assessment. The physical mechanisms of containment failure in core meltdown accidents are identified as steam explosion, debris bed coolability, hydrogen burning, steam spike and concrete interaction. The state of technology review is made for each subtopic about the previous and current researches for better understanding of the phenomenon.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.2 no.5
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• pp.379-396
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• 2002

The paper describes the mechanical behavior of short concrete-filled steel tube (CFT) columns with circular section. The efficiency of the steel tube in confining the concrete core depending on concrete strength and the steel tube thickness was examined. Fifteen columns were tested to failure under concentric axial loading. Furthermore, a mechanical model based on the interaction between the concrete core and the steel tube was developed. The model employs a volumetric strain history for the concrete, characterized by the level of applied confining stress. The situation of passive confinement is accounted for by an incremental procedure, which continuously updates the confining stress. The post-yield behavior of the columns is greatly influenced by the confinement level and is related to the efficiency of the steel tube in confining the concrete core. It is possible to classify the post-yield behavior into three categories: strain softening, perfectly plastic and strain hardening behavior. The softening behavior, which is due to a shear plane failure in the concrete core, was found for some of the CFT columns with high-strength concrete. Nevertheless, with a CFT column, it is possible to use high-strength concrete to obtain higher load resistance and still achieve a good ductile behavior.