Session: 05-07: System Performance and Safety Enhancements

Paper Number: 135588

135588 - Exploration of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (Uhpc) Application in Nuclear Power Plant Structures 

Abstract: 

Abstract: Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC), as a rapidly developing high-performance cement-based material in recent years, has three major characteristics: high strength, high ductility, and high durability. Based on these characteristics, Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) offers the potential for conducting "ultra-long life" highways or bridges; therefore it was initially applied in bridge structures. Numerous studied have primarily focused on bridges and pavement panels, aimed at reducing structural weight and enhance service life and durability by applying Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC). The high ductility of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) has also led to its widespread used in some unique-architectural design. It can also be applied in offshore engineering projects such as large artificial islands, offshore wind power platforms, drilling platforms and so on. In addition, it finds application in urban underground water supply and drainage project as well as sewage pipeline, due to its remarkable durability. At present, most Nuclear Power Plants are distributed along coast areas, and some pipelines come into long-term contact with seawater. For the containment structures, where safety and strength are important. Therefor the high strength and durability of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) can improve the load-bearing capacity and service life of Nuclear Power Plant structures. Furthermore, its excellent material properties enable further improvement and development of the traditional prestressed reinforced concrete containment which is most widely used. Moreover, Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) also has exhibits extremely low porosity and good impermeability making it suitable for specific application in the field of nuclear waste storage facilities. Currently, Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) has been preliminarily applied in Nuclear Power Plants, such as the truss beam in the cooling tower of the Cattenom nuclear power plant in France. This article mainly focuses on the research and exploration of the application of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) in Nuclear Power Plant structures. Firstly, extensive research was conducted on Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC), including its material properties and engineering applications. Next, focusing on containment structure applications, a new type of containment structure called UHPC containment was proposed and subsequently explored and studied. The traditional prestressed reinforced containment primarily consist of three components: prestressed reinforcement, concrete, and ordinary steel bars. In contrast, the new UHPC containment mainly utilizes the material properties of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC), namely high compressive strength and high tensile strength, whicn can partially replace or enhance the load-bearing function of these three components. Consequently, its possible structural forms can be diverse. In this paper, the finite element analysis was carried out on the UHPC containment by varying the different levels of prestress in the prestressed reinforcement, the different reinforcement ratios, and using all or part of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) in the containment and so on. The results obtained from finite analysis are compared with those from the current pre-stressed concrete containment structures to discuss the feasibility of applying Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) in such structures. The findings suggest that reasonable use of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) can contribute to the enhanced safety of containment structures. Finally, this study proposed required material characteristics and design methods for this new type of UHPC containment structure.

Presenting Author: Zhang Peiyao China Nuclear Power Engineering Company Co., LTD

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Zhang Peiyao graduated from Beihang University. He has been engaged in research on steel-concrete composite structures, reinforced concrete structures, structural performance analysis, and structural optimization design and so on for a long time. Especially in a series of studies on composite joints in the contaiment of high-temperature gas cooled nuclear power plants.

Authors:

Zhang Peiyao China Nuclear Power Engineering Company Co., LTD
Song Mengyan China Nuclear Power Engineering Company Co., LTD
Jiang Di China Nuclear Power Engineering Company Co., LTD
Gao Jingwei China Nuclear Power Engineering Company Co., LTD