Modelling and Analysis of the BARC

Containment (BARCOM) Test Model under

accidental pressure and seismic loads.

Bapat Advait Sanjay (07CE3112)

Prof. Baidurya Bhattacharya

Structural Engineering Section

Department of Civil Engineering
IIT Kharagpur
 Presentation Overview
• Introduction
• Objectives
• Model Details
• Geometric Details
• Material Properties
• Loads
• Shell Model
• Solid Model
• Comparison of models with other participants.
• Comparison of analysis results with actual test data.
• Future Scope
• References
 Introduction

• Indian nuclear power plants have double containment with

outer and inner containment structures of reinforced and pre-
stressed concrete construction respectively.

• This containment system is provided to establish an essentially

leak tight barrier against the uncontrolled release of
radioactivity to the environment.

• In order to assess the integrity of the containment structure for

severe accidents beyond the design basis, we need to
evaluate the safety margin over the design pressure for
different failure modes.
• Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay has
organized an International Round Robin Analysis program to
carry out the ultimate load capacity assessment of BARCOM
test model.

• The test model is a 1:4 scale representation of 540MeW PHWR

pre-stressed concrete inner containment structure of Tarapur
Atomic Power Station (TAPS) unit 3&4.

• 13 teams are participating in the pre test predictions and post

test ultimate load capacity evaluation of BARCOM test
model.

• By comparing the predictions with the experimental test data,

the margin against the design pressure of the PHWR
containment structures will be established with greater
confidence.
 Objectives
• To prepare a very accurate model of the BARCOM
test model in ABAQUS.
• Compare it to the predictions made by the various
participants of the round robin analysis.
• Verify the model using results of static pressure test
on BARCOM test model.
 Model Details

• Details of the BAROM model

have been taken from the
specifications provided in the
Pre-Test Report on
International Round ROBIN
Analysis of BARC
Containment Test Model.
 Geometric Details
• The model has three parts –
– Core shell
– Ring beam near springline
– Raft
• Diameter = 12.376 m
• Cylinder Height = 10.35 m.
• Dome Height = 2 m.
• 3 holes in the cylindrical wall
• two circular holes in the dome (diameter = 1.35 m)
• wall thickness = 0.188 m
• dome thickness = 0.164m
• The raft is cylindrical with diameter 15m and height
3m
 Material Properties
• Concrete
– Mass density = 2400 kg/m3
– E = 33540 MPa
– Characteristic Compressive Strength = 45N/mm2
– Ultimate Tensile Strength = 2.78N/mm2
– η = 0.2
• Steel

Property Reinforcements Tendons

Mass density (kg/m3) 7833 7833

Young’s Modulus(GPa) 200 189.6
Yield stress (MPa) 415 1683
Stress [ MPa ]

Strain
Tensile Stress [ MPa]

Strain
 Loads
The loading is done in 2 steps:
• In the first step the self weight and the pre-stressing force is
applied on the structure.
• In the second step the internal pressure is applied.This pressure
force is increased until the structure fails.

Loading Properties Values Source

Pre-stress Load at Cylindrical Wall 1478 N/mm2 BARCOM Pre Test Report

Pre-stress Load at Dome 1478 N/mm2 BARCOM Pre Test Report

Design Accidental Pressure Load 0.14 Mpa BARCOM Pre Test Report
 Loads

• Pre-stressing force is applied as Initial Condition

(type – stress rebar).

• The bottom surface of the raft is fixed and

analysis is done by varying the accidental
pressure load.

• Pressure load is applied radially outward on the

wall and the dome.
Shell Model
Parts in Shell Model
Cylinder and dome dfsf
Parts in Shell Model

Ring Beam
 Parts in Shell Model
Raft
Shell Model Assembly
 Mesh
Shell Model:
34922 nodes
34160 Total elements
 Reinforcements
• The reinforcing bars/ pre-stressing tendons are
modelled as steel layers of equivalent thickness.
• Each reinforcement layer has a uni-axial behavior
resisting only the axial force in the bar direction.
• Rebar in one of the layers is shown in the table
below:
Orientatio Dist. from
Layer c/s area Spacing
n angle mid-surface

Reinforcement 1 452.16 0.150 0 0.35

Reinforcement 2 452.16 0.150 90 0.35
Reinforcement 3 452.16 0.150 0 -0.35
Reinforcement 4 452.16 0.150 90 -0.35
Tendon 1 200.96 0.150 0 0
Tendon 2 200.96 0.150 90 0
Solid Model
 Parts in Solid Model

The Outer Layer

– This is the concrete layer
in the model.
– The reinforcements and
tendons are embedded into
this layer.
 Parts in Solid Model

The thickenings around the 5 openings

 Parts in Solid Model
Vertical Reinforcements in the cylinder

– Outer Layer diameter: 6.320m

– Inner Layer diameter: 6.220m
– 16mm diameter bars spaced at 200c/c in both layers
 Parts in Solid Model

Horizontal Reinforcement in cylinder

– Outer Layer Diameter: 6.300m

– Inner Layer Diameter: 6.240m
– 16mm diameter bars
@ 150mm c/c in both layers
 Parts in Solid Model
Tendons in Cylinder

– each ring is made up of 4 identical parts

– 15.2mm diameter Tendons placed at 150mm c/c
 Parts in Solid Model
Tendons in the ring beam
 Parts in Solid Model
Reinforcements in the dome

– 12mm bars @ 100mm c/c

– upper and lower layers of dome reinforcement placed
symmetrically about center line with clear cover 25mm.
 Parts in Solid Model

Tendons in the dome

15.2mm diameter
tendons placed at
75mm c/c
Reinforcement Assembly in
Solid Model
Solid Model Assembly
 Mesh
Brick elements with three
displacements and three
rotational degrees of freedom
at each node are used to
model the shell.

Number of nodes: 1,48,565

Number of elements: 1,38,860
• Both the models were subjected to accidental pressure up to
failure.

• Plots of strain and displacement against pressure, at 30

specified sensor locations were generated.

• These graphs were compared to the predictions of the other

participants and the available actual test data.
 Comparison with other
participants’ predictions
Displacement

Shell model
Solid model
Shell model
Solid model
Strain

Shell model
Solid model
Shell model
Solid model
Shell model
Solid model
Shell model
Solid model
Shell model
Solid model
Shell model
Solid model
Comparison with actual test
data
Displacement

Solid model
Solid model
Strain

Solid model
Solid model
Solid model
Solid model
Solid model
Solid model
Solid model
Solid model
 Conclusions
1. Two models of the BARCOM containment have been prepared in
ABAQUS.

2. The results of the analysis of both the models are matching closely
with the other participants’ predictions as well as the available
experimental data.

3. Since the solid model has a large number of elements, the time
required for performing dynamic analysis on it would be quite high.
So, the shell model can be used for dynamic analysis while the solid
model can be used for verifying the results of the shell model in a
few selected cases.
 Future Scope
Mesh Sensitivity Analysis:
Mesh Sensitivity analysis needs to be performed on both the models before they
can be safely used for any kind of reliability analysis.

Reliability analysis against seismic loads.

After calibration the model can be used for reliability analysis using a program
which includes uncertainties in the material properties as well as the loads.

Development of partial safety factors:

After calibration the model can also be an important input in developing partial
safety factors for accidental pressure design case of pre-stressed inner
containment shells in Indian Nuclear Power Plants.
 References
1. Ray Indrajit, Roy Raghupati, Verma U.S.P, and Wardkar A.S. (2003).
"Evaluation of Ultimate Load Bearing Capacity of the Primary Containment of
a Typical 540MWe Indian PWHR"; Transactions of the 17th International
Conference on Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology, Paper P01-4.
2. Raghupati Roy and Verma U.S.(2004)."Design Issues Related to Containment
Structures of Indian PWHRs ", An International Journal of Nuclear Power,
Vol.18, No. 4.
3. S.M.Basha and S. Ramanujam (2003)."Predictions of ultimate load capacity
for pre-stressed concrete containment vessel model with BARC finite element
code ULCA", Annals of Nuclear Energy 30, 473-471.
4. RamjiParmar,Tarvinder Singh, I Thandamani, NehaTrivedi and Ram Kumar
Singh, Reactor Safety Division, BARC (2011)."Over-pressure test on BARCOM
prestressed concrete containment", Transactions, SMiRT 21 Paper ID#486.
5. KalyanKamatam, Nawal K Prinja AMEC UK (2011)."Analysis of the BARCOM
containment model ", Transactions, SMiRT 21 Paper ID#820.
6. ABAQUS v6.10, Documentation
7. Ram kumar Singh (2009). "Pre Test Report On International Round Robin
Analysis Of BARCOM Test Model".
Thank You