Advanced Updating Using High-Fidelity Simulation Model of Electrical Cabinet Based on Shaking Table Tests

Abstract

Electrical cabinets used in power plants contain system controller and electrical equipment, and the response of electrical equipment in cabinets to external loads is critical to their operations. Previous studies have been conducted on the development of a finite element (FE) model for electrical cabinets, but they are mostly focused on global behavior and model validation considering dynamic characteristics of the cabinets only. In this study, a high-fidelity FE model was developed by improving the FE model of the previous study, and it was verified by comparing it with the fundamental frequencies observed in the experimental results. In addition, the developed high-fidelity FE model is verified using the results obtained from a time history analysis and shaking table test. Interestingly, the target frequencies and acceleration responses observed in the experiment were very similar to the analytical results. The mode shape and frequencies from the analysis were within a 1% error margin of the experimental results, and the mode shapes appeared to be similar. Furthermore, the acceleration response from the time history analysis was similar to the experiment results, and was in good agreement when analyzed in the frequency domain. Some errors were noted in a few locations, presumably because connections of components were more rigid in the FE model. In contrast, the FE model developed for the electrical cabinets showed fundamental frequencies and an acceleration response that was very similar to the experimental results, indicating that the proposed model can accurately reproduce the dynamic behavior.