TY - CONF A1 - Gleim, Tobias ED - Monavari, Mehran ED - Bertovic, Marija ED - Wille, Frank T1 - AI-Based Documentation Analysis for Safety Assessment of Packages for Radioactive Material N2 - The transportation of radioactive material requires, dependent on type and quantity of the radioactive material, a regulatory approval based on the package type. Safety assessments shall be conducted in compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations and documented in a comprehensive package design safety report to obtain approval from authority. This comprehensive safety report evaluates a broad range of requirements from the regulations, including mechanical, thermal, shielding, criticality and transport requirements and controls, and testing assessments. Additionally, it encompasses supporting documents such as specifications, inspections, certifications, drawings, and guidelines in a variety of complex documents. Safety and manufacturing reports contain multiple interconnected sub-reports covering various topics. Changes, such as component modifications, material property updates, or regulatory revisions, often impact multiple sections of the safety analysis reports, making even minor adjustments complex and time-consuming. Each transport package has unique requirements to be fulfilled, making every safety report distinct, despite following the same regulatory framework. Most documentation exists in standard digital formats but is often not machine interpretable, preventing automated analysis of the critical dependencies between them. This paper argues that moving beyond simple digitization towards structured knowledge representation is essential for addressing these challenges. We propose a multi-stage approach, beginning with foundational AI technologies such as Large Language Models (LLMs) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and progressing toward the construction of Knowledge Graphs (KGs). KGs convert unstructured and semi-structured information into a connected, queryable network, enabling precise tracing and visualization of complex interdependencies within the documentation landscape. By linking interpretable content directly to datasheets, tables, simulations, experimental results, standards, and regulations, such a system would automatically identify changes and interdependencies. Related conditions could be validated using AI-based tools, reducing the need for manual intervention, improving both efficiency and safety. Human error plays a significant role in drafting, reviewing, and revising safety reports, often requiring iterative review cycles and multiple reviewers before approval. A digital quality infrastructure could reduce iterations and further improve efficiency. Integrating AI into this process could optimize safety assessments and enhance their robustness by leveraging interpretability to enhance safety. This preliminary study explores the readiness and requirements for using intelligent documentation analysis system in the context of regulatory compliance for package safety for the transport of radioactive material. By analysing current documentation workflows, we identify how LLM-based tools can interpret complex safety reports and highlight critical interdependencies and then demonstrate why a KG-based architecture is necessary to robustly manage and query critical interdependencies. This lays the groundwork for future agentic AI systems capable of proactively supporting the safety assessment lifecycle, while stressing the importance of robust data governance and AI reliability in this highly regulated context. T2 - PATRAM 2025 CY - San Antonio, TX, USA DA - 27.07.2025 KW - AI, RAG, LLM, Knowledge Graph PY - 2025 SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) AN - OPUS4-63863 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Naster, Maximilian A1 - Gleim, Tobias A1 - Wille, Frank T1 - Experimental and numerical analyses of hydrogen flames for the thermal testing of transport packages for radioactive material N2 - In this paper we present an update of the hydrogen based test rig for an ongoing feasibility study of using hydrogen as an energy source for the thermal testing of transport packages containing radioactive materials [ The test rig is capable of combusting hydrogen for a wide range of different burner geometries, mass flows , hydrogen blends and single jet flame operation s as well as a full array of burners for thermal testing can be set up. As this type of fire test according to the IAEA boundary conditions does not yet exist, a large number of preliminary investigations, safety assessments and simulations must be carried out in order to develop a viable concept for hydrogen fires. In a first step of the feasibility study, the temperature , structure, and radiative behavior of hydrogen jet flames must be surveyed. The simulation with a single hydrogen flame was investigated in a previous work. In the next step the results are used to study the interaction and structural behavior of multiple jet flames in proximity with varying nozzle distances. With the test rig completed, it will be possible in future works to design burner frames suitable for fire reference tests to make comparisons with pool and propane fires used in assessment procedure today. Thus, preliminary comparative numerical simulations are conducted to model the behavior of overlapping hydrogen jet flames using the software package Ansys®. This paper gives an overview on the current state and design of the test rig. Furthermore, the results of the simulations show that nozzle geometry, mas s flow and nozzle distance provide significant design margin for designing a test fire capable of fully engulfing a specimen. T2 - PVP2025, Pressure Vessels & Piping Conference CY - Montreal, Quebec, Canada DA - 20.07.2025 KW - Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) KW - Fire testing KW - Hydrogen KW - IAEA PY - 2025 SP - 1 EP - 10 AN - OPUS4-63864 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Affagard, Jean-Sebastien A1 - Gleim, Tobias A1 - Louis, Baptiste A1 - Quercetti, Thomas A1 - Ledroit, Frédéric A1 - Létang, Eric T1 - Towards a simplifiedmodel of the delayed impact: numerical and experimental outlook N2 - The IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material No. SSR-6 require drop tests for demonstrating the ability of a package to withstand accident conditions of transport. In case a gap exists between the contents and the lid, it can result in a delayed impact of the content onto the lid system during a vertical drop test. The kinematic energy transmitted to the lid in such cases can be significant due to the stiffness of the impact, leading to high stresses in the bolts compared to a configuration without a gap. In the past, IRSN and BAM have individually investigated the modelling of the delayed impact phenomenon. BAM has examined the effects of the delayed impact phenomenon for spent fuel packages in a comparative analysis between experiments and simulations, which was presented at SMIRT 2013. Meanwhile, IRSN’s has developed a simple numerical tool that can quickly evaluate the influence of various parameters before considering a more complex finite element numerical calculation. This tool was presented at PATRAM 2022. In 2023, BAM and IRSN (now ASNR - French nuclear safety and radiation protection authority) decided to jointly pursue their study on the delayed impact phenomenon, incorporating damping effects, by developing new insights and techniques. To this end, a controlled and simplified set of experiments needs to be developed to calibrate and validate the simplified model. These experiments will record velocity, position of parts, strain and accelerations. The parameters and the configurations necessary for the development of the mock-up, as well as the placement and quantity of sensors, are determined through extensive pre-calculations using both complex finite element models and the simplified approach. A key challenge involves precisely controlling the drop of the mock-up to accurately replicate the theoretical contact and damping conditions. Advanced sensor technologies will be employed to acquire reliable and sufficient data. The tests are designed and conducted at BAM's TTS drop test facility in collaboration with ASNR. T2 - PATRAM 2025 CY - San Antonio, TX, USA DA - 27.07.2025 KW - Experiments KW - Impact KW - Drop Tower PY - 2025 SP - 1 EP - 11 CY - Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) AN - OPUS4-63870 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Quercetti, Thomas A1 - Feldkamp, Martin A1 - Gleim, Tobias A1 - Musolff, André A1 - Werner, Jan A1 - Wille, Frank T1 - Fire Test Stand for Thermal Testing of Large Packages for the Transport of Radioactive Materials N2 - Packages for the transport of high level radioactive materials are designed to withstand severe accidents. These packages must comply with the specific safety requirements SSR 6 [ of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). To guarantee compliance with these requirements, specific mechanical and thermal tests need to be addressed r egard ing the package type. Typically, the r egulations prescribe mechanical tests followed by a thermal test as part of a cumulative test scenario. The thermal test is specified by the exposure of a test specimen for a period of 30 minutes to a thermal environment that provides a heat flux equivalent to that of a hydrocarbon fuel air fire with an av erage fire temperature of at least 800 °C fully flame engulfing the test specimen. The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) operates various test facilities for this purpose at their Test Site for Technical Safety (near Berlin in Germany). Thermal tests for large packages are conducted in an established fire test stand that may be adapted by the test setup to the geometric boundary conditions of a test specimen. This fire test stand is built for test specimens with masses up to 200,000 kg an d geometric dimensions relating to large transport packages including their impact limiters. The test specimen is usually placed on a water cooled support frame in the middle of the test stand. The fire is realized by burning propane gas which is released in liquid state from an array of gas nozzles arranged in the form of a burner ring surrounding the test specimen. For particularly extra large test specimens, two burner rings are used on top of each other and at different heights to firstly achieve full f ire engulfment with a significantly larger volume of fire and secondly to achieve the required heat output , cf. In advance of a regular thermal test BAM usually performs so called fire reference tests to determine the test conditions for compliance with the IAEA requirements. These tests are performed using a generic package which corresponds to the external geometr ic dimensions of the test specimen used later in the approval test. Then, this reference package is exposed to a fire under defined test parameters whereas the corresponding heat input determined from the temperature changes measured is regarded as main cr iterion for proofing compliance with the IAEA criteria. The paper shows the experimental proof of the suitability of BAM’s fire test stand for thermal testing of extra large packages. The heat input and fire temperatures fully meet the IAEA criteria and can also be set significantly higher for example for extra regulatory testing. T2 - PATRAM 2025 CY - San Antonio, TX, USA DA - 27.07.2025 KW - IAEA Regu-lations KW - Fire Test Stand KW - Accident Scenario KW - Fire Qualification PY - 2025 SP - 1 EP - 10 CY - Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) AN - OPUS4-63872 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Naster, Maximilian T1 - Experimental and numerical analyses of hydrogen flames for the thermal testing of transport packages for radioactive material N2 - In this paper we present an update of the hydrogen-based test rig for an ongoing feasibility study of using hydrogen as an energy source for the thermal testing of transport packages containing radioactive materials. The test rig is capable of combusting hydrogen for a wide range of different burner geometries, mass flows, hydrogen blends and single jet flame operations as well as a full array of burners for thermal testing can be set up. As this type of fire test according to the IAEA boundary conditions does not yet exist, a large number of preliminary investigations, safety assessments and simulations must be carried out in order to develop a viable concept for hydrogen fires. In a first step of the feasibility study, the temperature, structure, and radiative behavior of hydrogen jet flames must be surveyed. The simulation with a single hydrogen flame was investigated in a previous work. In the next step the results are used to study the interaction and structural behavior of multiple jet flames in proximity with varying nozzle distances. With the test rig completed, it will be possible in future works to design burner frames suitable for fire reference tests to make comparisons with pool and propane fires used in assessment procedure today. Thus, preliminary comparative numerical simulations are conducted to model the behavior of overlapping hydrogen jet flames using the software package Ansys®. This paper gives an overview on the current state and design of the test rig. Furthermore, the results of the simulations show that nozzle geometry, mass flow and nozzle distance provide significant design margin for designing a test fire capable of fully engulfing a specimen. T2 - PVP2025, Pressure Vessels & Piping Conference CY - Montreal, Quebec, Canada DA - 20.07.2025 KW - Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) KW - Hydrogen KW - IAEA fire test PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63865 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Gleim, Tobias A1 - Affagard, Jean-Sebastien T1 - Towards a simplifiedmodel of the delayed impact: numerical and experimental outlook N2 - The IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material No. SSR-6 require drop tests for demonstrating the ability of a package to withstand accident conditions of transport. In case a gap exists between the contents and the lid, it can result in a delayed impact of the content onto the lid system during a vertical drop test. The kinematic energy transmitted to the lid in such cases can be significant due to the stiffness of the impact, leading to high stresses in the bolts compared to a configuration without a gap. In the past, IRSN and BAM have individually investigated the modelling of the delayed impact phenomenon. BAM has examined the effects of the delayed impact phenomenon for spent fuel packages in a comparative analysis between experiments and simulations, which was presented at SMIRT 2013. Meanwhile, IRSN’s has developed a simple numerical tool that can quickly evaluate the influence of various parameters before considering a more complex finite element numerical calculation. This tool was presented at PATRAM 2022. In 2023, BAM and IRSN (now ASNR – French nuclear safety and radiation protection authority) decided to jointly pursue their study on the delayed impact phenomenon, incorporating damping effects, by developing new insights and techniques. To this end, a controlled and simplified set of experiments needs to be developed to calibrate and validate the simplified model. These experiments will record velocity, position of parts, strain and accelerations. The parameters and configurations necessary for the development of the mock-up, as well as the placement and quantity of sensors, are determined through extensive pre-calculations using both complex finite element models and the simplified approach. A key challenge involves precisely controlling the drop of the mock-up to accurately replicate the theoretical contact and damping conditions. Advanced sensor technologies will be employed to acquire reliable and sufficient data. The tests are designed and conducted at BAM's TTS drop test facility in collaboration with ASNR. T2 - PATRAM 2025 CY - San Antonio, TX, USA DA - 27.07.2025 KW - Experiments KW - Impact KW - Drop Tower PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63869 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Gleim, Tobias T1 - AI-Driven Documentation Analysis Supporting Safety Assessment of Transport Packages N2 - The transportation of radioactive material requires, dependent on type and quantity of the radioactive material, a regulatory approval based on the package type. Safety assessments shall be conducted in compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations and documented in a comprehensive package design safety report to obtain approval from authority. This comprehensive safety report evaluates a broad range of requirements from the regulations, including mechanical, thermal, shielding, criticality and transport requirements and controls, and testing assessments. Additionally, it encompasses supporting documents such as specifications, inspections, certifications, drawings, and guidelines in a variety of complex documents. Safety and manufacturing reports contain multiple interconnected sub-reports covering various topics. Changes, such as component modifications, material property updates, or regulatory revisions, often impact multiple sections of the safety analysis reports, making even minor adjustments complex and time-consuming. Each transport package has unique requirements to be fulfilled, making every safety report distinct, despite following the same regulatory framework. Most documentation exists in standard digital formats but is often not machine interpretable, preventing automated analysis of the critical dependencies between them. This paper argues that moving beyond simple digitization towards structured knowledge representation is essential for addressing these challenges. We propose a multi-stage approach, beginning with foundational AI technologies such as Large Language Models (LLMs) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and progressing toward the construction of Knowledge Graphs (KGs). KGs convert unstructured and semi-structured information into a connected, queryable network, enabling precise tracing and visualization of complex interdependencies within the documentation landscape. By linking interpretable content directly to datasheets, tables, simulations, experimental results, standards, and regulations, such a system would automatically identify changes and interdependencies. Related conditions could be validated using AI-based tools, reducing the need for manual intervention, improving both efficiency and safety. Human error plays a significant role in drafting, reviewing, and revising safety reports, often requiring iterative review cycles and multiple reviewers before approval. A digital quality infrastructure could reduce iterations and further improve efficiency. Integrating AI into this process could optimize safety assessments and enhance their robustness by leveraging interpretability to enhance safety. This preliminary study explores the readiness and requirements for using intelligent documentation analysis system in the context of regulatory compliance for package safety for the transport of radioactive material. By analysing current documentation workflows, we identify how LLM-based tools can interpret complex safety reports and highlight critical interdependencies and then demonstrate why a KG-based architecture is necessary to robustly manage and query critical interdependencies. This lays the groundwork for future agentic AI systems capable of proactively supporting the safety assessment lifecycle, while stressing the importance of robust data governance and AI reliability in this highly regulated context. T2 - Sandia-BAM Technical Exchange CY - Albuquerque, NM, USA DA - 23.07.2025 KW - AI, RAG, LLM, Knowledge Graph PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63860 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Gleim, Tobias T1 - Enhancement of Fire Test Stand Performance at Test Site of BAM: Installation and Evaluation of an Augmented System with a Fire Reference Package N2 - Packages for the transport of radioactive material are designed to endure severe accidents. Packages for the transportation of radioactive material must demon-strate that the package can withstand certain prescribed tests from the IAEA Reg-ulations [1]. In addition to mechanical tests, a thermal test in form of a fire test must be carried out. As packages to be tested at BAM are significantly larger than previous package designs, BAM has expanded an existing fire test stand. A modular concept is chosen, which means that the arrangement of the burner noz-zles can be adapted to the test specimen. The dimensions of the burner rings, the type, the orientation and the number of burner nozzles can be varied depending on the test specimen. In addition, various pumps can be used to set the corre-sponding mass flow. With the help of a calorimeter test, the fire test stand can be qualified for a specific size of packages regarding the boundary conditions of the IAEA Regulations [1]. Due to the typically wood filled impact limiters in German package designs, a fire test is necessary, as experiments have shown that possible openings that occurred during a mechanical test contributed to the ignition of the wood filled impact limiters within the prescribed 30 minutes of the IAEA Regula-tions [1]. From a series of experiments, two experiments are presented to show the possibilities to obtain different temperatures and temperature rates in the test specimen. In addition to sensor data, the heat flux into the package is calculated to verify that the IAEA boundary conditions are satisfied. In addition to the tem-perature data, other data such as wind speed and wind direction are also recorded to explain subsequent effects in the measurement data in a comprehensible man-ner. T2 - Sandia-BAM Technical Exchange CY - Albuquerque, NM, USA DA - 23.07.2025 KW - IAEA Regulations KW - Fire Test Stand KW - Accident Scenario KW - Fire Qualification PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63861 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Komann, Steffen A1 - Müller, Lars A1 - Neumann, Martin A1 - Wille, Frank T1 - Shipment of SCO-II – Authority assessment of mechanical aspects and quality management N2 - The decommissioning of nuclear facilities necessitates either the storage or disposal of large radioactive components such as steam generators, pressurizers, reactor pressure vessels and heads, or coolant pumps. These components or objects are large in size and mass with up to 6 meters in diameter and 20 meters in length and a weight of up to 400 tons. They are often transported to a storage, disposal, or recycling facility. Large components from nuclear facilities may often not be packed and need to be transported unpackaged due to size and weight. T2 - PATRAM 2025 CY - San Antonio, TX, USA DA - 27.07.2025 KW - radioaktive Stoffe, Rückbau kerntechnischer Anlagen, Transport, Gefahrgut PY - 2025 SP - 1 EP - 10 AN - OPUS4-63878 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Zencker, Uwe A1 - Simbruner, Kai A1 - Völzke, Holger T1 - Analysis of Zirconium Hydride Structures in Spent Fuel Claddings Subjected to Storage Conditions N2 - Pre-storage drying and the early stage of storage can subject spent fuel claddings to higher temperatures and higher tensile hoop stresses than those associated with in-reactor operation. Under these conditions, existing circumferential hydrides in zirconium-based alloys can be partly reoriented into radial ones that may result in embrittlement of the cladding material. As a consequence, the failure limits may be reduced under mechanical loads caused by handling or during transport after storage. The potential occurrence of brittle fracture strongly depends on the specific location, size, and orientation of the zirconium hydrides. The morphology of such hydride structures was experimentally investigated in unirradiated, hydrogen-loaded samples made of a zirconium-based alloy. The hydrogen was introduced into the cladding sample by means of a cathodic charging process. The loading process was followed by a thermal treatment to precipitate the hydrides in the circumferential direction and then a thermomechanical treatment to reorient the hydrides in the radial direction. Metallographic methods were used to describe and classify the hydride morphology. The resulting metallographic micrographs were evaluated using suitable radial hydride metrics. The determination of the maximum length of a hydride structure was carried out in two different ways, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Both methods consider neighboring hydrides as continuous according to the definition of the Radial Hydride Continuity Factor (RHCF). The first option is to measure the Euclidean distance between the two most distant pixels of the hydride structure in the image analysis, whereby the actual maximum size of the hydride structure is determined. The second possibility is to measure the maximum size of a hydride or a hydride structure within a certain arc length in the radial direction of the cladding tube. This value is of particular interest because the ratio of the maximum radial size of a hydride structure to the wall thickness of the cladding tube is used for the safety assessment of spent fuel claddings with radial hydrides using the RHCF. T2 - 21st International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials - PATRAM 2025 CY - San Antonio, TX, USA DA - 27.07.2025 KW - Extended Interim Storage KW - Nuclear Fuel Cladding KW - Zirconium Hydride Structure KW - Ring Compression Test KW - Micrograph Analysis PY - 2025 SP - 1 EP - 8 CY - Indianapolis, IN, USA AN - OPUS4-63875 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Zencker, Uwe T1 - Analysis of Zirconium Hydride Structures in Spent Fuel Claddings Subjected to Storage Conditions N2 - Pre-storage drying and the early stage of storage can subject spent fuel claddings to higher temperatures and higher tensile hoop stresses than those associated with in-reactor operation. Under these conditions, existing circumferential hydrides in zirconium-based alloys can be partly reoriented into radial ones that may result in embrittlement of the cladding material. As a consequence, the failure limits may be reduced under mechanical loads caused by handling or during transport after storage. The potential occurrence of brittle fracture strongly depends on the specific location, size, and orientation of the zirconium hydrides. The morphology of such hydride structures was experimentally investigated in unirradiated, hydrogen-loaded samples made of a zirconium-based alloy. The hydrogen was introduced into the cladding sample by means of a cathodic charging process. The loading process was followed by a thermal treatment to precipitate the hydrides in the circumferential direction and then a thermomechanical treatment to reorient the hydrides in the radial direction. Metallographic methods were used to describe and classify the hydride morphology. The resulting metallographic micrographs were evaluated using suitable radial hydride metrics. The determination of the maximum length of a hydride structure was carried out in two different ways, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Both methods consider neighboring hydrides as continuous according to the definition of the Radial Hydride Continuity Factor (RHCF). The first option is to measure the Euclidean distance between the two most distant pixels of the hydride structure in the image analysis, whereby the actual maximum size of the hydride structure is determined. The second possibility is to measure the maximum size of a hydride or a hydride structure within a certain arc length in the radial direction of the cladding tube. This value is of particular interest because the ratio of the maximum radial size of a hydride structure to the wall thickness of the cladding tube is used for the safety assessment of spent fuel claddings with radial hydrides using the RHCF. T2 - 21st International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials - PATRAM 2025 CY - San Antonio, TX, USA DA - 27.07.2025 KW - Extended Interim Storage KW - Nuclear Fuel Cladding KW - Zirconium Hydride Structure KW - Ring Compression Test KW - Micrograph Analysis PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63876 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Komann, Steffen T1 - Shipment of SCO-II – Authority assessment of mechanical aspects and quality management N2 - The decommissioning of nuclear facilities necessitates either the storage or disposal of large radioactive components such as steam generators, pressurizers, reactor pressure vessels and heads, or coolant pumps. These components or objects are large in size and mass with up to 6 meters in diameter and 20 meters in length and a weight of up to 400 tons. They are often transported to a storage, disposal, or recycling facility. Large components from nuclear facilities may often not be packed and need to be transported unpackaged due to size and weight. T2 - PATRAM 2025 CY - San Antonio, TX, USA DA - 27.07.2025 KW - Transport KW - Radioaktive Stoffe KW - Rückbau kerntechnischer Anlagen KW - Gefahrgut PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63877 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Quercetti, Thomas T1 - Fire Test Stand for Thermal Testing of Large Packages for the Transport of Radioactive Materials N2 - Packages for the transport of spent nuclear fuel are designed to withstand severe accidents and must ensure compliance with the IAEA-Regulations prescribing mechanical tests followed by a thermal test. The thermal test involves that a test specimen is exposed to a thermal environment for 30 minutes, simulating the conditions of a hydrocarbon fuel-air fire. The average fire temperature is at least 800°C, and the fire completely engulfs the test specimen. In advance of a regular fire test, BAM performs so-called fire reference tests or calorimeter tests with a fire reference package (FRP) to determine the test conditions for compliance with the IAEA-requirements. T2 - PATRAM 2025 CY - San Antonio, TX, USA DA - 27.07.2025 KW - Experiment KW - Thermal Test KW - Fire PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63871 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Wille, Frank T1 - Package safety evaluation in a rapidly changing world N2 - The presentation addressed the evolving challenges and developments in the safety evaluation of transport packages for radioactive materials, especially in light of changing technologies, regulations, and environmental conditions. A key focus was the current situation in Germany: following the final shutdown of commercial nuclear power plants in 2023, efforts are now concentrated on decommissioning, interim storage in dual-purpose casks (DPCs), and the ongoing site selection process for a repository for high-level waste. The expected duration of interim storage exceeds 100 years, demanding robust and sustainable safety strategies. One major topic was ageing management, which goes beyond technical measures to ensure transportability over long periods. It also includes preserving knowledge and expertise for future generations. The regulatory framework includes international standards such as IAEA SSR-6 and SSG-26, as well as national guidance like BAM-GGR 023. It was emphasized the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in safety evaluations. AI can enhance efficiency through automated document analysis and digital data structuring. However, final safety decisions remain the responsibility of human experts, especially given the complexity of documentation and the shortage of skilled personnel. The presentation also addressed changing transport technologies, such as the use of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. These vehicles behave differently in accidents, particularly in battery fires, which can reach temperatures above 1000 °C and last significantly longer than conventional fires. This raises the need to reassess existing fire test criteria. Environmental changes were another key point. With global temperatures rising by 0.26 °C per decade, local safety margin evaluations are becoming increasingly important. Existing regulatory assumptions, such as ambient temperatures of 38 °C, may no longer be sufficient. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is increasing. AI can support model generation, but there is concern about potential skill fading among engineers. Physical testing, such as BAM’s drop towers (up to 200 tons), remains essential for public package safety acceptance. Key takeaways from the talk include: Ageing Management is also about preserving skills and knowledge. Changing technologies and environmental conditions impact package safety. AI can improve efficiency but must be used carefully to avoid skill loss. Physical testing continues to play a vital role in gaining public trust. T2 - PATRAM 2025 CY - San Antonio, Texas, USA DA - 27.07.2025 KW - Artificial Intelligence KW - Package KW - Ageing Management KW - Electric Vehicles KW - Testing PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63879 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Gleim, Tobias T1 - AI-Based Documentation Analysis for Safety Assessment of Packages for Radioactive Material N2 - The transportation of radioactive material requires, dependent on type and quantity of the radioactive material, a regulatory approval based on the package type. Safety assessments shall be conducted in compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations and documented in a comprehensive package design safety report to obtain approval from authority. This comprehensive safety report evaluates a broad range of requirements from the regulations, including mechanical, thermal, shielding, criticality and transport requirements and controls, and testing assessments. Additionally, it encompasses supporting documents such as specifications, inspections, certifications, drawings, and guidelines in a variety of complex documents. Safety and manufacturing reports contain multiple interconnected sub-reports covering various topics. Changes, such as component modifications, material property updates, or regulatory revisions, often impact multiple sections of the safety analysis reports, making even minor adjustments complex and time-consuming. Each transport package has unique requirements to be fulfilled, making every safety report distinct, despite following the same regulatory framework. Most documentation exists in standard digital formats but is often not machine interpretable, preventing automated analysis of the critical dependencies between them. This paper argues that moving beyond simple digitization towards structured knowledge representation is essential for addressing these challenges. We propose a multi-stage approach, beginning with foundational AI technologies such as Large Language Models (LLMs) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and progressing toward the construction of Knowledge Graphs (KGs). KGs convert unstructured and semi-structured information into a connected, queryable network, enabling precise tracing and visualization of complex interdependencies within the documentation landscape. By linking interpretable content directly to datasheets, tables, simulations, experimental results, standards, and regulations, such a system would automatically identify changes and interdependencies. Related conditions could be validated using AI-based tools, reducing the need for manual intervention, improving both efficiency and safety. Human error plays a significant role in drafting, reviewing, and revising safety reports, often requiring iterative review cycles and multiple reviewers before approval. A digital quality infrastructure could reduce iterations and further improve efficiency. Integrating AI into this process could optimize safety assessments and enhance their robustness by leveraging interpretability to enhance safety. This preliminary study explores the readiness and requirements for using intelligent documentation analysis system in the context of regulatory compliance for package safety for the transport of radioactive material. By analysing current documentation workflows, we identify how LLM-based tools can interpret complex safety reports and highlight critical interdependencies and then demonstrate why a KG-based architecture is necessary to robustly manage and query critical interdependencies. This lays the groundwork for future agentic AI systems capable of proactively supporting the safety assessment lifecycle, while stressing the importance of robust data governance and AI reliability in this highly regulated context. T2 - PATRAM 2025 CY - San Antonio, TX, USA DA - 27.07.2025 KW - Knowledge Graph KW - AI KW - RAG KW - LLM PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63862 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Feldkamp, Martin A1 - Gleim, Tobias A1 - Quercetti, Thomas A1 - Wille, Frank T1 - Evaluation of Convective Heat Transfer Coefficients with CFD for Heat Flux Calculation in Combustion Chamber N2 - Packages for the transport of high-level radioactive waste are designed to withstand severe accidents. To obtain approval for transport, these packages must adhere to the specification-based criteria of regulations established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). To ensure compliance with the regulations, mechanical and thermal tests need to be conducted regarding the package type. The requirements define mechanical tests followed by a thermal test, including criteria ensuring the package design’s ability to withstand severe accidents. Heavy-weight packages for the safe transport of radioactive materials are equipped with impact limiters, which are often built with porous materials such as densely packed wood reinforced by steel sheet structures. These components absorb the kinetic energy during the impact of the package in drop tests and thus dampen the acceleration of other package components which supports the package to meet the requirements of the IAEA regulations. Following the mechanical tests, the package must, with its predamaged impact limiters, endure a thermal test defined precisely in the IAEA regulations. The thermal test is defined as a 30-min, fully engulfing 800 °C fire and a following time under ambient conditions for a sufficient period to ensure that temperatures in the specimen decrease in all parts of the specimen. During and following the thermal test, the specimen shall not be artificially cooled, and any combustion of materials of the specimen shall be permitted to proceed naturally. A wood-filled impact limiter can continue to release thermal energy during an ongoing combustion process, thus defining relevant package temperatures. Heat flux from a potentially burning impact limiter to the package is important for the safety evaluation of transport packages. A test setup was developed to approach the energy flow investigation and examine the combustion behaviour of porous materials encapsulated in predamaged cylindrical metal enclosures under various conditions. The setup consists of a combustion chamber for thermal tests under adjustable and defined boundary conditions. The temperature development of the test specimens can be observed from outside using a thermographic imager with high-definition cameras, and the mass loss of the test specimen can be measured in the combustion chamber. Convective heat transfer coefficients for various boundary conditions must be defined for use with experimentally gathered test specimen surface temperature data for heat flux evaluations. The airflow conditions in the combustion chamber were analysed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations in OpenFOAM with respect to the convective heat transfer coefficients at the surface of a hot test specimen. A convergence study was performed, and sensitivity analyses for different test specimen surface temperatures and exhaust gas volume flows were conducted. T2 - ASME PVP2025, Pressure Vessels & Piping Conference CY - Montreal, Quebec, Canada DA - 20.07.2025 KW - Heat Transfer KW - Convection KW - OpenFOAM KW - Combustion PY - 2025 SP - 1 EP - 7 PB - American society of mechanical engineers (ASME) AN - OPUS4-63901 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Quercetti, Thomas A1 - Feldkamp, Martin A1 - Gleim, Tobias A1 - Musolff, Andre A1 - Werner, Jan A1 - Wille, Frank T1 - A fire test stand for thermal testing of extra-large packages N2 - Packages for the transport of high-level radioactive materials are designed to withstand severe accidents. These packages must adhere to the specification-based criteria of the International Transport Regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). To ensure compliance with these requirements, specific mechanical and thermal tests need to be addressed with respect to the package type. Typically, the Regulations prescribe mechanical tests followed by a thermal test as part of a cumulative test scenario. The thermal test is specified by the exposure of a test specimen for a period of 30 minutes to a thermal invironment that provides a heat flux equivalent to that of a hydrocarbon fuel-air fire with an average fire temperature of at least 800 °C fully flame engulfing the test specimen. The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) operates various test facilities for this purpose at their test site (TTS) near Berlin in Germany. Thermal tests for large packages are carried out in an established fire test stand that can be adapted by the test-setup to the geometric boundary conditions of a test specimen. This fire test stand is built for test specimens with masses up to 200,000 kg and geometric dimensions relating to large transport packages including their impact limiters. The test specimen is usually placed on a water-cooled support frame in the middle of the test-stand. The fire is realized by burning propane gas which is released in liquid state from an array of gas nozzles arranged in the form of a burner ring surrounding the test specimen. For particularly extra-large test specimens, two burner rings are used on top of each other and at different heights in order to firstly achieve full fire engulfment with a significantly larger volume of fire and secondly to achieve the required heat output. In advance of a regular thermal test BAM usually performs so-called fire reference tests to determine the test conditions for compliance with the IAEA requirements. These tests are performed using a generic package which corresponds to the external geometric dimensions of the test specimen used later in the approval test. Then, this reference package is exposed to a fire under defined test parameters whereas the corresponding heat input determined from the temperature changes measured is regarded as main criterion for proofing compliance with the IAEA criteria.The paper shows the experimental proof of the suitability of BAM’s fire test stand for thermal testing of extra-large packages. The heat input and fire temperatures fully meet the IAEA criteria but can also be set significantly higher for e.g. extra-regulatory testing. T2 - ASME PVP 2025 CY - Montreal, Quebec, Kanada DA - 20.07.2025 KW - Test stand KW - Thermal testing KW - Package KW - Fire PY - 2025 SP - 1 EP - 6 AN - OPUS4-63892 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Gleim, Tobias T1 - Potential Effects of Battery and Hydrogen Fires regarding Regulatory Requirements N2 - Die internationalen Sicherheitsanforderungen für den Transport radioaktiver Stoffe sind in den IAEO-Vorschriften SSR-6 festgelegt. Diese wurden in den 1960er Jahren entwickelt und seitdem nur in begrenztem Umfang angepasst. Sie bilden die Basis für die Regelwerke der verschiedenen Verkehrsträger – darunter auch das ADR (Europäisches Übereinkommen über die internationale Beförderung gefährlicher Güter auf der Straße). Die SSR-6 wird regelmäßig vom TRANSSC-Gremium der IAEO überprüft und aktualisiert. In diesen Prozess fließen aktuelle wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse sowie praktische Erfahrungen ein, um die Sicherheit beim Transport radioaktiver Materialien kontinuierlich zu verbessern. Im Rahmen der 47. TRANSSC-Sitzung stellte die BAM (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung) aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse zu Unfallszenarien mit Batterien und Wasserstoff vor und adressierte zentrale sicherheitsrelevante Fragestellungen. Aufgrund des großen internationalen Interesses, insbesondere da vergleichbare Erkenntnisse aus anderen UN-Mitgliedstaaten bislang nicht vorlagen, wurden diese Fragestellungen ab der 48. Sitzung offiziell in das Arbeitsprogramm aufgenommen. Vor der 48. TRANSSC-Sitzung führten BAM und BASE eine gemeinsame Befragung aller UN-Mitgliedstaaten mittels eines Fragebogens durch. Die Ergebnisse wurden im Rahmen der 48. TRANSSC-Sitzung vorgestellt. Dabei zeigte sich, dass in den befragten Ländern bislang keine spezifischen nationalen Regelungen oder Einschränkungen im Hinblick auf Fahrzeuge mit alternativen Antrieben bestehen. Gleichzeitig wurde jedoch auf ein potenzielles Risiko mit derzeit nicht abschätzbarem Ausmaß hingewiesen. N2 - Hier: The IAEA regulations for the safe transport of radioactive material (IAEA SSR-6) define the safety requirements for different package types and consider different transport conditions. The accident conditions of transport specify different mechanical and thermal tests based on investigations of real accident scenarios. Considering the rapid development of new boundary conditions of transport such as electric mobility and the use of hydrogen as energy source for trucks and other kind of vehicles, potential effects of battery and hydrogen fires in transport accidents should be investigated. The aim is to evaluate the existing test requirements developed and derived decades ago, whether they are covering the current transport situation. This presentation will briefly present the reasons for detailed investigations as bases for a coordinated research project under the roof of the IAEA. T2 - WP.15 IWG-EV 22nd session CY - Online-Meeting DA - 23.07.2025 KW - Requirements KW - Battery Fire KW - Experiment KW - IAEA PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63900 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Feldkamp, Martin T1 - Evaluation of Convective Heat Transfer Coefficients with CFD for Heat Flux Calculation in Combustion Chamber N2 - Packages for the transport of high-level radioactive waste are designed to withstand severe accidents. To obtain approval for transport, these packages must adhere to the specification-based criteria of regulations established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). To ensure compliance with the regulations, mechanical and thermal tests need to be conducted regarding the package type. The requirements define mechanical tests followed by a thermal test, including criteria ensuring the package design’s ability to withstand severe accidents. Heavy-weight packages for the safe transport of radioactive materials are equipped with impact limiters, which are often built with porous materials such as densely packed wood reinforced by steel sheet structures. These components absorb the kinetic energy during the impact of the package in drop tests and thus dampen the acceleration of other package components which supports the package to meet the requirements of the IAEA regulations. Following the mechanical tests, the package must, with its predamaged impact limiters, endure a thermal test defined precisely in the IAEA regulations. The thermal test is defined as a 30-min, fully engulfing 800 °C fire and a following time under ambient conditions for a sufficient period to ensure that temperatures in the specimen decrease in all parts of the specimen. During and following the thermal test, the specimen shall not be artificially cooled, and any combustion of materials of the specimen shall be permitted to proceed naturally. A wood-filled impact limiter can continue to release thermal energy during an ongoing combustion process, thus defining relevant package temperatures. Heat flux from a potentially burning impact limiter to the package is important for the safety evaluation of transport packages. A test setup was developed to approach the energy flow investigation and examine the combustion behaviour of porous materials encapsulated in predamaged cylindrical metal enclosures under various conditions. The setup consists of a combustion chamber for thermal tests under adjustable and defined boundary conditions. The temperature development of the test specimens can be observed from outside using a thermographic imager with high-definition cameras, and the mass loss of the test specimen can be measured in the combustion chamber. Convective heat transfer coefficients for various boundary conditions must be defined for use with experimentally gathered test specimen surface temperature data for heat flux evaluations. The airflow conditions in the combustion chamber were analysed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations in OpenFOAM with respect to the convective heat transfer coefficients at the surface of a hot test specimen. A convergence study was performed, and sensitivity analyses for different test specimen surface temperatures and exhaust gas volume flows were conducted. T2 - ASME PVP2025, Pressure Vessels & Piping Conference CY - Montréal, Quebec, Canada DA - 20.07.2025 KW - Heat Transfer KW - Convective Heat Transfer Coefficient KW - Combustion KW - OpenFOAM KW - Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63902 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Averin, Anton T1 - Detection of internal corrosion in drums for radioactive waste using thermographic methods N2 - In Deutschland lagern über 130.000 Kubikmeter schwach- und mittelradioaktiver Abfälle, davon etwa 90 % des gesamten radioaktiven Abfalls in 200-Liter-Fässern. Diese Fässer werden aktuell in Zwischenlagern aufbewahrt und dort, um die Sicherheit zu gewährleisten, manuell auf äußere Korrosion überprüft, während das vorgesehene Endlager, das Bergwerk Konrad, voraussichtlich erst bis 2030 fertiggestellt wird. Manuelle Inspektionen bergen jedoch das Risiko menschlicher Fehler, was die Zuverlässigkeit und Sicherheit des Prozesses beeinträchtigt und sind auf die Erkennung äußerlich sichtbarer Unregelmäßigkeiten beschränkt. Ziel des FORKA-geförderten Projektes „ZIKA“ ist es, diese Inspektionen durch eine vollautomatisierte zerstörungsfreie Prüfung (NDT) zu automatisieren. Ein Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf der Anwendung von aktiver Infrarotthermografie zur Erkennung innerer Defekte in Metallfässern, die mit visuellen Inspektionen nicht entdeckt werden können. Die Genauigkeit thermografischer Prüfung wird dabei durch Oberflächenkontaminationen (Kratzer, Schmutz, Aufkleber), Farbschichten mit geringer Wärmeleitfähigkeit und die Krümmung der Fässer, welche die Wärmeverteilung beeinflussen, beeinträchtigt. Die hier präsentierte Studie analysiert die Eignung von aktiver thermografischer Prüfung zur Detektion innenliegender Korrosion unter Zuhilfenahme verschiedener Wärmequellen – Blitzlampen, Induktionsgenerator, Laser –, sowie verschiedener Anregetechniken, wie Impulsthermografie, Lock-in-Thermografie und Puls-Kompression. Zudem werden auch Methoden zur Datenverarbeitung, darunter Hauptkomponententhermografie (PCT), Puls-Phasen-Thermografie (PPT) und thermische Signalrekonstruktion (TSR) evaluiert. Um Messrauschen und Artefakte in den thermografischen Bildern zu filtern, wurden maschinelle Lernmodelle entwickelt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Kombination fortschrittlicher Thermografietechniken mit maschinellem Lernen die Defekterkennung verbessert und automatisierte, zuverlässigere Inspektionsprozesse für die Lagerung radioaktiver Abfälle ermöglicht. T2 - DGZFP Jahrestagung 2025 CY - Berlin, Deutschland DA - 26.05.2025 KW - Automatisierte Inspektion KW - Fehlererkennung KW - Infrarot-Thermografie KW - Laser-Thermografie KW - Maschinelles Lernen KW - Thermografie mit Hauptkomponentenanalyse KW - Pulsphasen-Thermografie KW - Thermische Datenverarbeitung PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63286 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - RPRT A1 - Völzke, Holger A1 - Cherkouk, Andrea A1 - Zajec, Bojan A1 - Debelle, Aurélien A1 - Alonso, Ursula A1 - Ganster, Patrick A1 - Generelo-Casajus, Lidia A1 - Merroun, Mohamed L. A1 - Morales-Hidalgo, Mar A1 - Pakarinen, Janne A1 - Rossignol, Fabrice A1 - Trentin, Andressa T1 - Durability of traditional and innovative disposal container materials and coatings: State-of-the-art and further research within InCoManD N2 - This document provides a consolidated state-of-the-art overview of current knowledge on containers designed to safely isolate heat-generating high-level radioactive waste in deep geological repositories (DGRs). These containers form a vital part of the multi-barrier safety system that ensures long-term protection of people and the environment. Their durability — especially their resistance to corrosion and mechanical stress — is essential, as they are expected to perform over time scales ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of years. The findings presented here are taken from recent research studies out of the EURAD programme and also from the EURAD-1 ConCorD project (Work Package 15, 2021–2024), which reviewed the performance of various container materials, including copper, carbon steel and silicon carbide. The report covers experimental results under relevant disposal conditions, the impact of manufacturing and sealing processes, and the current capabilities of modelling tools to simulate the complex underground environment in which these containers will operate. In addition to summarising knowledge on traditional materials, the document highlights recent progress and remaining challenges related to innovative ceramic-based containers. Key issues include ensuring effective sealing and mechanical integrity, particularly under harsh and evolving conditions over long periods. The report also emphasizes the importance of understanding how different environmental and mechanical factors interact to influence container degradation. Neither corrosion nor stress alone can fully explain long-term behaviour, and both must be studied together. Finally, this state-of-the-art sets the stage for future work, especially the EURAD-2 InCoManD project (Work Package 9), which will build on these findings to improve testing methods, refine models, and explore promising new materials and design solutions for safer and more reliable waste containment. Research activities within InCoManD are hence briefly described throughout this document. KW - Disposal container KW - Radioactive waste KW - Deep geological repository KW - Corrosion resistance KW - Durability PY - 2025 UR - https://www.ejp-eurad.eu/sites/default/files/2025-06/EURAD2_WP09_INCO_T02_01_D09.1_SOTA_0.pdf N1 - This document is a deliverable of the European Partnership on Radioactive Waste Management 2 (EURAD-2); EURAD-2 is co-funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement N°101166718. VL - Deliverable 9.1 SP - 1 EP - 60 PB - Agence Nationale pour la Gestion des Déchets Radioactifs (ANDRA) CY - Châtenay-Malabry AN - OPUS4-63303 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -