The PACE-1450 Experiment – Investigations Regarding Crack and Leakage Behaviour of a Pre-stressed Concrete Containment

Abstract

The subject of the project “PACE-1450 – Experimental Campaign” was to complement the variety of research programs dealing with the leakage behaviour of concrete containments of nuclear power plants under accidental conditions. The test campaign has been run with a specimen of realistic dimensions, reinforcement and pre-stressing. Supplementary investigations on the crack pattern of the used specimen are underway. Leakage tests have been performed under different temperature and pressure conditions with varying media mixtures of air and steam. This paper summarizes the results of the air leakage investigations at different temperatures.