Large Package Tests for Normal Conditions of Transport

Abstract

The IAEA Regulations (1985) for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material specify requirements for packagings and packages (Section 5). These include tests for normal conditions of transport (Paras 619–625) and accident conditions for packages containing larger quantities of activity (Paras 626–633). The tests for normal conditions include drop tests from heights which vary with the package mass (Para 622). The ‘Explanatory Material’ (1987) describes these drop-tests as ‘a falloff the platform of a vehicle’ after which ‘packages would continue the journey’. There is clear implication that any damage which obviously degrades important functions of the packaging system results from ‘accident’ damage rather than ‘normal conditions of transport’. The important functions include containment, criticality control, shielding, impact protection and fire protection. Large packages, such as ISO containers, may exceed 6 m in length and when subject to a corner drop of 1 m or less, the centre of gravity will fall more than 3 m. The secondary impact will be much more severe than the initial impact. Neither the corner drop nor the secondary impact simulate normal conditions of transport. An alternative specification for normal condition drop testing of large containers is proposed, avoiding the more severe damage resulting from secondary impacts.