Feasibility of using ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concrete for radioactive waste containers: Drop test simulation

Abstract

A comparative numerical study has been conducted to investigate the advantage of using ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concrete (UHP-FRC) material as an alternative to replace traditional cross sections of nuclear waste container. Three different finite element (FE) models of a typical waste container with identical dimensions and steel reinforcement detailing are developed. The cross section (HSC, HSC with steel liners, UHP-FRC) is varied parametrically to study its effect on mass, principal stresses, damage distribution, and plastic deformation. The current investigation considers the worst load case scenario by simulating accidental drops of the containers from a full stack height of 5.00m. Two different accidental drop scenarios are considered (flat on-base and corner drop). The detailed 3D-FE models have been built considering nonlinear material properties and the simulations are performed using ABAQUS/Explicit. The material constitutive models have been calibrated based experimental tests.Based on the results of numerical comparative study, the UHP-FRC container suffered the least damage level and distribution among the three designs under considered loading cases. Both HSC, HSC with steel liners containers suffered high damage levels aligned between lid and container’s body which might lead to an opening of the container. On the other hand, stresses and damage levels at the lid to body interface are substantially improved in case of using UHP-FRC.