• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.78 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2021

To investigate numerically the effect of all parameters on the outcome of an aircraft impact into robust engineering structures like nuclear power plant containments is a tedious task. In order to reduce the problem to a manageable size, we propose a single dimensionless parameter, the damage potential, to characterize the main features of the impact. The damage potential, which is the ratio of the initial kinetic energy of the aircraft to the work required to crush it, enables us to find the crucial parameter settings that need to be modelled numerically in detail. We show in this paper that the damage potential is indeed the most important parameter of the impact that determines the time-dependent reaction force when either finite element (FE) modelling or the Riera model is applied. We find that parameters that do not alter the damage potential, like elasticity of the target, are of secondary importance and if parameters are altered in a way that the damage potential remains the same then the course of the impact remains similar. We show, however, that the maximum value of the reaction force can be higher in case of elastic targets than in case of rigid targets due to the vibration of the target. The difference between the Riera and FE model results is also found to depend on the damage potential.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.111-129
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• 2012

Codes for structural design usually assume that the incident mean wind velocity is parallel to the ground, which constitutes a valid simplification for frequent winds caused by sypnoptic events. Wind effects due to other phenomena, such as thunderstorm downbursts, are simply neglected. In this paper, results of recent and ongoing research on this topic in Brazil are presented. The model of the three-dimensional wind velocity field originated from a downburst in a thunderstorm (TS), proposed by Ponte and Riera for engineering applications, is first described. This model allows the generation of a spatially and temporally variable velocity field, which also includes a fluctuating component of the velocity. All parameters are related to meteorological variables, which are susceptible of statistical assessment. An application of the model in the simulation of the wind climate in a region sujected to both EPS and TS winds is discussed next. It is shown that, once the relevant meteorological variables are known, the simulation of the wind excitation for purposes of design of transmission lines, long-span crossings and similar structures is feasible. Complementing the theoretical studies, wind velocity records during a recent TS event in southern Brazil are presented and preliminary conclusions on the validity of the proposed models discussed.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.715-722
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• 2011

In this paper, the behavior of nuclear-power plant subjected to an aircraft impact is performed using the parallel analysis. In the erstwhile study of an aircraft impact to the nuclear-power plant, it has been used that the impact load is applied at the local area by using the impact load-time history function of Riera, and the target structures have been restricted to the simple RC(Reinforced Concrete) walls or RC buildings. However, in this paper, the analysis of an aircraft impact is performed by using a real aircraft model similar to the Boeing 767 and a fictitious nuclear-power plant similar to the real structure, and an aircraft model is verified by comparing the generated history of the aircraft crash against the rigid target with another history by using the Riera's function which is allowable in the impact evaluation guide, NEI07-13(2009). Also, in general, it is required too much time for the hypervelocity impact analysis due to the contact problems between two or more adjacent physical bodies and the high nonlinearity causing dynamic large deformation, so there is a limitation with a single CPU alone to deal with these problems effectively. Therefore, in this paper, Message-Passing MIMD type of parallel analysis is performed by using self-constructed Linux-Cluster system to improve the computational efficiency, and in order to evaluate the parallel performance, the four cases of analysis, i.e. plain concrete, reinforced concrete, reinforced concrete with bonded containment liner plate, steel-plate concrete structure, are performed and discussed.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.5A
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• pp.369-378
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• 2011

In this paper, the response analysis of RC(Reinforced Concrete), SC(Steel-Plate Concrete) containment buildings subjected to a large aircraft impact is performed using Autodyn-3D as Hydrocode. Until now, the impact load in the analysis of aircraft impacts has been applied to target structures at the local area by using the impact load-time history function of Riera. However in this paper, the results of aircraft crash are analyzed by using an aircraft model similar to Boeing 767 and verified by comparing the generated history of the aircraft crash against the rigid target with another history by using the Riera's function. To estimate the resistivity of the impact, the response and safety of SC containment buildings, this study is performed by comparing the four cases of plane concrete, reinforced concrete, bonded containment liner plate at reinforced concrete, and SC structure. Thus, the different behaviors between SC and RC structures when they are subjected to the extreme impact load could be anticipated. Consequently, the improved safety is expected by replacing RC structure with SC structure for nuclear power plants.

• 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.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.1686-1704
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• 2021

This study addresses the numerical simulation of the shield building of an AP1000 nuclear power plant (NPP) subjected to a large commercial aircraft impact. First, a simplified finite element model (F.E. model) of the large commercial Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft is established. The F.E. model of the AP1000 shield building is constructed, which is a reasonably simplified reinforced concrete structure. The effectiveness of both F.E. models is verified by the classical Riera method and the impact test of a 1/7.5 scaled GE-J79 engine model. Then, based on the verified F.E. models, the entire impact process of the aircraft on the shield building is simulated by the missile-target interaction method (coupled method) and by the ANSYS/LS-DYNA software, which is at different initial impact velocities and impact heights. Finally, the laws and characteristics of the aircraft impact force, residual velocity, kinetic energy, concrete damage, axial reinforcement stress, and perforated size are analyzed in detail. The results show that all of them increase with the addition to the initial impact velocity. The first four are not very sensitive to the impact height. The engine impact mainly contributes to the peak impact force, and the peak impact force is six times higher than that in the first stage. With increasing initial impact velocity, the maximum aircraft impact force rises linearly. The range of the tension and pressure of the reinforcement axial stress changes with the impact height. The perforated size increases with increasing impact height. The radial perforation area is almost insensitive to the initial impact velocity and impact height. The research of this study can provide help for engineers in designing AP1000 shield buildings.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.181-182
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• 2006

Cylindrical specimens with different levels of density have been submitted to uniaxial compression tests with loading and unloading cycles. The analysis of the elastic loadings shows a non linear elasticity which can be mathematically represented by means of a potential law. Results are explained by assuming that the total elastic strain is the contribution of two terms one deriving from the hertzian deformation of the contacts among particles and another that takes into account the linear elastic deformation of the powder skeleton. A simple model based in an one pore unit cell is presented to support the mathematical model.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.437-450
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• 2014

In this study, we developed a methodology to determine the reference parameter for an aircraft impact induced risk assessment of nuclear power plant (NPP) using finite element impact analysis of containment building. The target structure used to develop the method of reference parameter selection is one of the typical Korean PWR type containment buildings. We composed a three-dimensional finite element model of the containment building. The concrete damaged plasticity model was used for the concrete material model. The steels in the tendon, rebar, and liner were modeled using the piecewise-linear stress-strain curves. To evaluate the correlations between structural response and each candidate parameter, we developed Riera's aircraft impact force-time history function with respect to the variation of the loading parameters, i.e., impact velocity and mass of the remaining fuel. For each force-time history, the type of aircraft is assumed to be a Boeing 767 model. The variation ranges of the impact velocity and remaining fuel percentage are 50 to 200m/s, and 30 to 90%, respectively. Four parameters, i.e., kinetic energy, total impulse, maximum impulse, and maximum force are proposed for candidates of the reference parameter. The wellness of the correlation between the reference parameter and structural responses was formulated using the coefficient of determination ($R^2$). From the results, we found that the maximum force showed the highest $R^2$ value in most responses in the materials. The simplicity and intuitiveness of the maximum force parameter are also remarkable compared to the other candidate parameters. Therefore, it can be concluded that the maximum force is the most proper candidate for the reference parameter to assess the aircraft impact induced risk of NPPs.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.287-300
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• 2007

Wind action is a factor of fundamental importance in the structural design of light or slender constructions. Codes for structural design usually assume that the incident mean wind velocity is parallel to the ground, which constitutes a valid simplification for frequent winds caused by meteorological phenomena such as Extratropical Storms (EPS) or Tropical Storms. Wind effects due to other phenomena, such as thunderstorms, and its combination with EPS winds in so-called squall lines, are simply neglected. In this paper a model that describes the three-dimensional wind velocity field originated from a downburst in a thunderstorm (TS) is proposed. The model is based on a semi empirical representation of an axially-symmetrical flow line pattern that describes a stationary field, modulated by a function that accounts for the evolution of the wind velocity with time. The model allows the generation of a spatially and temporally variable velocity field, which also includes a fluctuating component of the velocity. All parameters employed in the model are related to meteorological variables, which are susceptible of statistical assessment. A background wind is also considered, in order to account for the translational velocity of the thunderstorm, normally due to local wind conditions. When the translation of the TS is caused by an EPS, a squall line is produced, causing the highest wind velocities associated with TS events. The resulting vertical velocity profiles were also studied and compared with existing models, such as the profiles proposed by Vicroy, et al. (1992) and Wood and Kwok (1998). The present model predicts horizontal velocity profiles that depend on the distance to the storm center, effect not considered by previous models, although the various proposals are globally compatible. The model can be applied in any region of interest, once the relevant meteorological variables are known, to simulate the excitation due to TS winds in the design of transmission lines, long-span crossings, cable-stayed bridges, towers or similar structures.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.1394-1405
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• 2022

The importance of ensuring the inherent safety and security has been more emphasized in recent years to demonstrate the integrity of nuclear facilities under external human-induced events (e.g. aircraft crashes). This work suggests a simulation methodology to effectively evaluate the impact of a commercial aircraft engine onto a dry storage facility. A full-scale engine model was developed and verified by Riera force-time history analysis. A reinforced concrete (RC) structure of a dry storage facility was also developed and material behavior of concrete was incorporated using three constitutive models namely: Continuous Surface Cap, Winfrith, and Karagozian & Case for comparison. Strain-based erosion limits for concrete were suitably defined and the local responses were then compared and analyzed with empirical formulas according to variations in impact velocity. The proposed methodology reasonably predicted such local damage modes of RC structure from the engine missile, and the analysis results agreed well with the calculations of empirical formulas. This research is expected to be helpful in reviewing the dry storage facility design and in the probabilistic risk assessment considering diverse impact scenarios.