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Validation of numerical simulation models for transport and storage casks using drop test results
(2012)
The safety assessment of new designs for transport and storage casks for radioactive materials is a challenging task accomplished using different methods such as prototype tests, model tests, calculations and analogy reflections. At BAM (Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing), the test procedures for the mechanical IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) test conditions often start with preliminary finite element (FE) calculations mostly with a small-scale cask model for verification of the proposed test cask instrumentation and test plan. On that basis the extensive test cask instrumentation is applied and checked. After that, a series of drop tests consisting of different test sequences is performed.
Following the drop tests, numerical post-analyses are carried out. These analyses offer the possibility of a detailed calculation and assessment of stresses and strains in the entire test cask construction. The calculation results have to be carefully compared with the measurement data over the impact history to find out all relevant parameters for a realistic simulation of the impact scenario. The desired ideal boundary test conditions often cannot be met exactly during the drop tests. Therefore, the numerical post-analyses are carried out by using the real boundary conditions of the drop tests. The objective is to find a validated model, where the results of the numerical simulations satisfactorily meet the experimental results.
Under test conditions according to the IAEA transport regulations, casks are usually equipped with impact limiters and dropped onto a so-called unyielding target. In general, it is difficult to verify a complex FE model by using results from only one drop test because of the complex impact process and the complex structure of such packages. After each drop test, numerical post-analyses should be carried out. Only if all drop tests were simulated successfully by using the same FE model under different test conditions, it is possible to obtain a validated numerical model for further investigations. In this case the results of the numerical simulations meet satisfactorily the experimental results. In this paper a study is presented, where the influence of different components on the cask loading is investigated systematically.
Cylindrical casks made of ductile cast iron are used for transport, interim storage and final disposal of radioactive waste in Germany. A basic design criterion is the ability to withstand a horizontal drop without impact Binders onto a foundation representative for the real ground of a storage facility. The increasing use of more cost-effective material compositions requires optimized cask geometries to reduce stresses and strains in the cask structure. For example, a non-uniform wall thickness was introduced to reduce maximum wall bending stresses. As a result, the load characteristics changed from line load to point load at bottom and lid side under horizontal drop fest conditions. Hereby, the position of highest stress inside the structure has shifted significantly. This was the reason for a systematic investigation of effects caused by small design changes or small variations of fest conditions. It led to a better understanding of the positions of high local stresses, their time history and maximum value for cylindrical casks under horizontal drop test conditions. Hence, the paper presents the lessons learnt from modeling and simulating such scenarios considering an impact without limiters onto a realistic target.
Damping concrete with high energy absorption capability consists of a cement matrix with embedded small polystyrene balls and is investigated experimentally and numerically under high static compression with and without clamping. A material model is derived which describes the fundamental effects of damping concrete like non-linear elastic-plastic behaviour, volume change, volume strain dependent hardening as well as shear failure with an adequate description of damage initiation and evolution. The suggested material model is validated by simulation of penetration tests.
The safety assessment of casks for radioactive material at interim storage facilities or in final repositories includes the investigation of possible handling accidents if clearly defined test conditions are not available from the regulations. Specific handling accidents usually are the drop of a cask onto the transport vehicle or the floor as well as the collision with the wall of the storage building or another cask. For such load cases an experimental demonstration of cask safety would be difficult. Therefore, numerical analyses of the entire load scenario are preferred. The lessons learnt from dynamic finite element analyses of accident scenarios with thick-walled cubical containers or cylindrical casks are presented. The dependency of calculation results on initial and boundary conditions, material models, and contact conditions is discussed. Parameter sets used should be verified by numerical simulation of experimentally investigated similar test scenarios. On the other hand, decisions have to be made whether a parameter or property is modeled in a realistic or conservative manner. For example, a very small variation of the initial impact angle of a container can cause significantly different stresses and strains. In sophisticated cases an investigation of simpler limit load scenarios could be advantageous instead of analyzing a very complicated load scenario.
Metal gaskets in the lid system of transport and storage casks for radioactive material have to guarantee leak-tightness and safe enclosure of the radioactive inventory under normal and accident conditions during transport, in case of accidents and for the longterm interim storage. For safety assessments by nurnerical simulation of the thermomechanical behaviour of a lid system with metal gaskets, the finite element method offers three options to use: i) special gasket elements, ii) complex three-dimensional modeHing with solid elements, and iii) a simplified axisymmetric approach. Gasket elements can be adjusted by many parameters, but they give only a global representation of the experimentally observed gasket behaviour. For calculations of the entire cask including the lid system with gaskets, nonetheless this approach is recommended. To investigate the hardly measurable impact behaviour in detail or to extrapolate the long-term behaviour, a local modeHing of all parts of a gasket and their interactions with effects like elastic-plastic deformation, creep, relaxation, and friction is necessary. The three-dimensional model can describe the change of contact area between outer jacket of the gasket and flange dependent on the load conditions, what overcomes an essential limitation of special gasket elements. To simplify the problern of investigating the underlying physical effects, an axisymmetric lid system can be modelled with axisymmetric finite elements. Usually an approximation is only necessary for the helical spring of a metal gasket. This paper explains basic ideas for an adequate finite element simulation of cask lid systems with metal gaskets and their thermo-mechanical behaviour under specific load scenarios.
Metal seals of O-ring form are often used in lid-systems of transport and storage casks for radioactive waste in Germany. To investigate their mechanical behaviour, three dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) models were created using solid elements for all of the seal components. The material behaviour of each component is described with a unified static elastic-plastic material model. The total strain is defined as the sum of linear elastic strain and plastic strain with power-law hardening. The model was carefully validated by comparison of Simulation results with experimental results. The influence of material fluctuation of each seal component due to varying properties and the sensitivity of different seal diameters on the seal force are analysed and discussed.
The results show that the material properties of helical spring have major influence on seal force and that the influence of seal diameters is negligible small in the studied range. This is very important to use the test results from seals with small diameter for the assessment of seal behaviour with larger diameter as used in transport and storage cask.
The safety evaluation of cask components made of ductile cast iron includes investigations to prevent brittle fracture. Generally, ductile cast iron is endangered by brittle fracture especially at low temperatures (down to -40°C) and in combination with existing crack-like material defects. An applicable method is the assessment of fracture resistance using fracture mechanics according to the IAEA guidelines. The approach is based on the prevention of fracture initiation. For application of these principles for drop loads, account must be taken both of dynamic stresses within the component and dynamic material behavior. Basically, the dynamic stress intensity factor of postulated pre-existing crack-like defects is compared with the dynamic fracture toughness of the material. Applicable numerical and experimental methods for the safety assessment of cask components are demonstrated for the case of an artificially pre-cracked cylindrical cast iron cask which undergoes dynamic loading conditions as result of the hard impact between the cask and a concrete target. The proposed evaluation procedure is a combination of numerical and experimental steps. Exemplarily, the calculated stress intensity factor is compared with measured fracture toughness values from single edge notched bending specimens.