NEHRP Clearinghouse
- Title
- Effects of Cracks on the Seismic Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Nuclear Containment Vessels.
- File
- PB270061.pdf
- Author(s)
- Smith, J. K.
- Source
- National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C. Research Applied to National Needs., April 1977, 175 p.
- Identifying Number(s)
- 368
- Abstract
- This investigation studies the feasibility of the proposal for eliminating or reducing inclined steel in concrete containment vessels. The plausibility of this alternative design, which uses the combination of dowel action of the longitudinal reinforcement and the shear transfer capacity of the horizontal cracks, is studied. The results of tests performed to investigate the shear transfer characteristics of cracks are shown and discussed. The test results are used as input to a finite element model which is used to study the shear stress distribution of cracks. A computer program is developed which incorporates these experimental and analytical results into the seismic analysis of a cracked reinforced concrete containment vessel. A linear seismic analysis which yields results giving a least squares fit to the nonlinear results for the synthetic earthquake is also developed.
- Keywords
- Cracking (Fracturing); Reinforced concrete; Steel; Least squares method; Degrees of freedom; Finite element analysis; Earthquake engineering; Nuclear reactor containment; Seismic surveys; Computer programs; Modal computer program; Pressure vessels; Design criteria; Shear stresses