Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program: Survey of Models for Concrete Degradation

Abstract

Concrete has been used in the construction of nuclear facilities because of two primary properties: its structural strength and its ability to shield radiation. Concrete structures have been known to last for hundreds of years, but they are also known to deteriorate in very short periods of time under adverse conditions. The use of concrete in nuclear facilities for containment and shielding of radiation and radioactive materials has made its performance crucial for the safe operation of the facility. The goal of this report is to review and document the main aging mechanisms of concern for concrete structures in nuclear power plants (NPPs) and the models used in simulations of concrete aging and structural response of degraded concrete structures. This is in preparation for future work to develop and apply models for aging processes and response of aged NPP concrete structures in the Grizzly code. To that end, this report also provides recommendations for developing more robust predictive models for aging effects of performance of concrete.