Effects of SSI on EPR™ In-Structure Response for a Rock Site: Coherent and Incoherent High Frequency Ground Motion

Abstract

Recently, probabilistic seismic hazard assessments (PSHAs) performed for hard sites world-wide have yielded uniform hazard response spectra (UHRS) with significant high frequency content, i.e., frequency content greater than 10 Hz. This high frequency content is frequently due to near-field relatively low magnitude events. It is well known that these high frequency ground motions are not damaging to ductile structures, systems, and components (SSCs). One method of addressing the effect of these high frequency ground motions on structure response is to take into account the incoherency of ground motion. Over the past 25 years, free-field ground motion has been recorded providing an adequate basis for the development of ground motion coherency functions necessary to assess the effect of incoherence on nuclear power plant structures. The subject of this study was the AREVA NP EPR™ (European Power Reactor) nuclear island (NI) standard design. The effect of incoherency of ground motion on in-structure response spectra (ISRS) was assessed for the NI founded on a stiff rock site and subjected to high frequency enhanced input for hard rock sites. The ISRS at numerous locations and directions in the structures were calculated and compared. SSI is shown to be an important phenomenon for structures founded on stiff sites and subjected to high frequency ground motions.