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Organisationseinheit der BAM
Proper predictions of the behaviour of shock absorber materials are of utmost importance in safety assessments for licensing casks for transport and storage of highly active waste. After having identified significant discrepancies between numerical results and the actual response of polyurethane foam limiters subjected to accidental scenarios, a new research project ENREA was established by BAM. A major objective is to enhance and to develop advanced material models intended to simulate limiters under impact loading. They should account for all major factors influencing the load–deformation relationship like temperature, strain rate and specific stress state. The corresponding test program, applicable plasticity models, the overall parameter identification strategy based on local and global optimization techniques as well as experimental and numerical results are presented here in particular for closed cell foams.
Dry cask storage of spent fuel and high active waste front reprocessing is licensed and established in Germany for up to 40years so far. About 10years ago, the strategy has been shifted from centralized storage using facilities in Ahaus and Gorleben to cit-site storage facilities in Order to avoid immediate cask shipping from nuclear power plants. At present, several hundred casks are stored safeiy and without any major problem. BAM is highly involved in cask specific safety evaluations within the scope of licensing procedures as well as of quality assurance procedures during cask fabrication, loading and storage.
A major prerequisite for any cask storage license is a valid transport Type B license. Subsequently, cask transportability has to be ensured at any point during the entire storage period. So far, this requirement is met by continuous maintenance of the Type B license. Anyhow, IAEA Type B regulations do not consider permanently loaded storage casks that have the sole purpose of being finally shipped öfter decades of storage inducing ageing effects. No transport safety demonstration has to be performed on aged cask components.
Experimental and numerical studies of shock absorbing materials for containers for radioactive waste
(2012)
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.
An extensive series of large deformation crushing tests with spruce wood specimens was conducted. Material orientation, lateral constraint and loading rate were varied. Regarding material orientation, a reduction in the softening effect and the general force level was observed with a higher fiber-load angle. A comparison with characteristics gained by application of Hankinson's formula showed discrepancies in compression strength and the beginning of the hardening effect. Lateral constraint of the specimens caused a multiaxial stress state in the specimens, which was quantified with the applied measuring method. Further, a higher force level compared to specimens without lateral constraint and significant hardening effect at large deformations resulted. Thus, the influence of a multiaxial stress state on the force level could be determined. An increase in the loading rate led to higher force levels at any displacement value and material orientation.
Up to the end of this decade, corresponding to the planned date of starting operation in the final disposal KONRAD for non-heat generating waste in Germany, a lot of efforts are needed to condition and package the radioactive waste in containers certified by BfS (Federal Institute for Radiation Protection). This waste is produced by public sector and industry as well as nuclear energy facilities, which result in more than a half of the actually declared quantity growing especially after the phase out decision of nuclear power production in Germany and the subsequent decommissioning of nuclear power plants. BAM (Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing) acts as responsible authority on behalf of BfS for design testing under consideration of the KONRAD requirements. Within the assessment procedure of containers, BAM has to verify the application documents, including material qualification, container geometry, corrosion protection, leakage rate and operational and accidental loading, and to evaluate quality assurance measures. Besides the previous completed approvals for various containers such as steel sheet and cast iron box-shaped containers and concrete cylindrical ones, BAM is actually carrying assessments for other types such as cast iron cylindrical containers and “old” steel sheet box shaped ones. The so called “old” containers present already loaded containers without any KONRAD certification, currently stored at licensed interim storages. In the benefit of the container assessment, BAM operates design testing facilities for drop and fire tests which are also used for research objectives to improve and expand the evaluation methods such as research project ConDrop. The latter deals with numerical simulations and analyses tools for further precise predictions about unfavorable drop test scenarios, safety margins, and design sensitivities for steel sheet containers. Furthermore, during the assessment procedure, several specifications about the containers, the inventory to be disposed and the required safety level have been intensely debated by authorities and applicants. Based on its experience in qualifying containers, BAM has been commissioned to identify insufficiently specified aspects in the waste acceptance criteria and to propose clearer definitions with regard to the secondary regulations in the planning approval notice. This paper focuses on aspects of the contribution of BAM in certifying KONRAD waste containers. This will include the current state of design testing procedures, evaluation methods that are available or are being developed and the main topics within the KONRAD requirements being actually specified by BAM.
The numerical Simulation of transport and storage casks for radioactive waste in accidental scenarios requires adequate material models and input parameters for all relevant structural cask elements, the Impact foundation as well as possibly further components involved in the incident. They form the basis for reliable analysis of different loading situations allowing substituting, at least in parts, experimental investigations that are needed in safety Reports submitted for nuclear licensing procedures.
Hereby, the efficiency of the energy absorbing components, such as cask Impact limiters or equivalent structures placed onto or into the foundation of storage buildings, determine to a large extend
the performance and thus the design of the casks. The limiters, which are usually made of wood, polyurethane foam (PUF) or damping concrete, are subjected to Major plastic deformations, whose Distribution and magnitude strongly depend on loading speed, course and temperature.
Consequently, it is necessary to establish a systematic data basis and implement this information in advanced numerical material formulations in Order to enable finite element simulations to account for all relevant factors.
The deformation and damage behaviour of damping concrete under impact loading conditions is investigated experimentally and numerically. The material model is based on the assumption of crushable foam with volumetric or isotropic hardening combined with ductile and shear damage criteria. Model parameters are determined in static and dynamic compression tests of confined cubic specimens. The derived material model is validated by numerical simulation of penetration tests. The static and dynamic penetration of indenters into uniform as well as assembled bricks made of damping concrete is discussed. Finally, the successful calculation of a large-scale drop test with a heavy cask-like test object onto a realistic damping concrete foundation is demonstrated.
Since the decision by the German government to face out nuclear electricity generation the total amount of spent nuclear fuel and high level wastes from reprocessing is limited and well determined. In addition the siting and licensing procedure to establish a final repository has been ruled by a new law in the mid of 2013 and further delays are very likely until a deep geological repository may start its operation.
In the meantime dry interim storage in dual purpose casks being permanently certified for interim storage as well as transportation is the established technical solution. Several on-site as well former centralized facilities are operated successfully for many years but storage licenses are generally limited to 40 years and future lifetime extensions are predictable. Permanent aging management for storage facilities and casks is necessary to demonstrate compliance with safety requirements and furthermore to gain relevant data and information about the technical conditions of the facilities and their components for future lifetime extensions.
For that reason procedures and measures are currently improved and the approach is explained in this paper. In addition, the current status and latest experiences concerning periodic safety inspections and aging management measures are discussed.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) and Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) was signed in the fall of 2014. Its objectives are to promote cooperation among scientists and specialists at BAM and Argonne and establish a framework for collaboration in the field of advanced technologies associated with the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle. Collaborative activities involving the BAM and Argonne may be implemented through the promotion of joint research activities and scientific workshops and conferences; the exchange of technical information; and visits by scientists, specialists, and graduate, postgraduate, and Ph.D. students. The first Argonne/BAM workshop was held at Argonne in October 2014 to discuss aging management issues related to the long-term dry storage of spent fuel. Major topics for potential collaboration on the extended storage of spent nuclear fuel and its subsequent transportation were identified.
Polyurethane foam used as impact limiter material undergoes high plastic deformations, whereat the resulting stress-strain relations strongly depend on loading speed and temperature. This paper discusses the efforts necessary to develop a reliable numerical foam simulation model focussing on generation and implementation of temperature- dependent yield curves
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.
The Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung (BAM) is a federal institute for materials research and testing in Germany and has been involved in the qualification and safety evaluation procedures of metal seals from the early beginning of the interim storage licensing procedures for radioactive materials, stored in dual purpose casks. Regarding this subject, BAM investigates the long-term behavior of metal seals under the influence of temperature using experimental data and analytical approaches. The development of numerical models is in progress as well. Systematic experimental investigations performed by BAM indicate a continuous decrease of the remaining seal force and the usable resilience considering the leak tightness. Hence, there is a fundamental interest of describing time and temperature dependency to gain predictable values for the long-term behavior and to achieve reliable results with help of short-term tests.
The paper gives an overview about the sealing principle, test program and test results of metal seals of the type HELICOFLEX® HN200. The aging effect, respectively the long-term behavior in dependency of time and temperature, are introduced for two different outer liner materials, aluminum and silver.
Testing and numerical simulation of elastomeric seals under consideration of time dependent effects
(2016)
Due to delays in the siting procedure to establish a deep geological repository for spent nuclear fuel and high level waste and in construction of the already licensed Konrad repository for low and intermediate level waste, extended periods of interim storage will become more relevant in Germany. BAM is involved in most of the cask licensing procedures and is responsible for the evaluation of cask-related long-term safety issues. Elastomeric seals are widely used as barrier seals for containers for low and intermediate level radioactive waste. In addition they are also used as auxiliary seals in spent fuel storage and transportation casks (dual purpose casks (DPC)).
To address the complex requirements resulting from the described applications, BAM has initiated several test programs for investigating the behavior of elastomeric seals. These include experiments concerning the hyperelastic and viscoelastic behavior at different temperatures and strain rates, the low temperature performance down to -40°C, the influence of gamma irradiation and the aging behavior.
The first part of the paper gives an overview of these tests, their relevant results and their possible impact on BAM’s work as a consultant in the framework of approval and licensing procedures.
The second part presents an approach of the development of a finite element model using the finite element code ABAQUS®. The long-term goal is to simulate the complex elastomeric behavior in a complete lid closure system under specific operation and accident conditions.
Due to delays in the siting procedure to establish a deep geological repository for spent nuclear fuel and high level radioactive waste as well as in construction of the already licensed Konrad repository for low and intermediate level radioactive waste, extended periods of interim storage become more relevant in Germany. BAM is involved in most of the cask licensing procedures and especially responsible for the evaluation of cask-related long-term safety issues.
The long-term performance of elastomer seals for lid systems of transport and storage casks, whether used as auxiliary seals in spent fuel casks or as primary seals for low and intermediate level waste packages, is an important issue in this context. The polymeric structure of these seals causes a complex mechanical behavior with time-dependent sealing force reduction.
The results of a comprehensive purpose-designed test program consisting of basic compression and tension tests as well as relaxation tests on unaged specimens of representative types of elastomers (fluorocarbon rubber (FKM) and ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM)) at different temperatures and strain rates are presented. They were used to identify the constitutive behavior and to obtain parameters for finite element material models provided by the computer code ABAQUS®. After estimating the influence of uncertainties such as Poisson’s ratio and friction coefficient by sensitivity analyses, the chosen parameters had to prove their suitability for the finite element simulation of the specimen tests themselves.
Based on this preliminary work the simulation of a specific laboratory test configuration containing a typical elastomer seal with circular cross section is presented. The chosen finite element material model and the implemented parameters had to show that they are able to represent not only the specimen behavior under predominantly uniaxial load but also the more complex stress states in real components. Deviations between the measured and calculated results are pointed out and discussed.
For the consideration of long-term effects in the simulation of elastomer behavior, test results of aged specimens are needed. First information about a new test program, started recently and planned to provide these data, are given.
Influence of impact angle and real target properties on drop test results of cubic containers
(2017)
Drop test scenarios with cubic containers without impact limiters at interim storage sites or in a final repository have been investigated by numerical simulations. An ideally flat drop is impossible to conduct as a free fall of a container even under laboratory conditions. Dynamic stresses and strains inside the container structure are sensitive to the impact angle. Even very small impact angles cause remarkable changes in the experimental or numerical results when a flat bottom or wall of a container hits a flat target. For drop tests with transport packages the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations define an essentially unyielding target. In contrast, potential accident scenarios for storage containers are derived from site-specific safety analyses or acceptance criteria in Germany. Each interim storage site or repository has a yielding or so-called real target with individual structural and material properties. The real target acts as a kind of impact limiter. A more conservative container design is required if the impact limiting effect of the target is not considered.
The Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –Prüfung (BAM) runs an investigation program on the long-term behavior of multi-component metal seals. Such seals are used in a wide area of applications including transport and storage casks for spent nuclear fuel and high level radioactive waste.
The seal function is mainly based on the compression of the inner helical spring, which generates the necessary seal force to keep the sealing surfaces in close contact. This in turn leads to a plastic deformation of the outer jacket of the seal, comprised of highly ductile aluminum or silver that adapts to the sealing surfaces of cask body and bolted lid, thus providing high Level leak tightness. In Germany, those casks are licensed for Interim storage periods of up to 40 years or more if extended Interim storage would become necessary before a final repository is available. Thus, the sealing performance has to be evaluated, including factors like elevated temperature due to decay heat or mechanical loads due to transport under normal as well as accident conditions. Long-term investigations at BAM have been running over the last nine years to identify and evaluate the seal performance by measuring the remaining seal force, the useable resilience and the leakage rate after various time intervals at temperatures ranging from room temperature up
to 150 °C. It was found that the seal force and useable resilience decrease with time and temperature, caused by creep deformation of the outer jacket. In order to obtain an analytical description for the seal behavior and to achieve more information on the material behavior under application conditions a comprehensive investigation program with Focus on aluminum as outer jacket material was launched. The program includes material investigations such as compression and tension creep tests with representative basic materials. An additional test setup allows for the continuous measurement of the remaining seal force at temperatures of up to 150 °C. Furthermore, seal segments are compressed and stored in heating chambers, thus producing segments at different stages of the aging process. The segments are investigated regarding the development of the contact area width, jacket thickness and microstructural changes. This data will be used to develop material models and an analytical description of the time and temperature dependent long-term sealing behavior. This paper explains the current status of gained test results and modelling approaches and closes with an outlook to the future Project plans.
Elastomers show a high versatility which makes them ideal materials for sealing applications in various fields. Especially under changing application conditions the high recovery potential of this class of material is beneficial to compensate temperature or pressure fluctuation, and geometrical changes resulting from mechanical loads in e.g. accident conditions. Out of these reasons elastomers are also used in containers for low and intermediate level radioactive waste and for spent fuel transportation casks. In casks designed for low and intermediate level waste elastomer seals can act as primary seal responsible for the containment function whereas in spent fuel storage and transportation casks (dual purpose casks (DPC)) elastomer seals are used as auxiliary seals to allow leakage rate measurements of metal barrier seals. An inherent prerequisite for this kind of application is the Long time-scale of operation without or with limited possibility of seal replacement. In Germany an interim storage license for DPC`s is typically issued for 40 years, a timeframe which might increase in the future due to challenges of the final repository siting procedure. For low and intermediate level waste, also long time periods are required before final disposal can be achieved. Therefore, the performance of elastomer seals over extended time periods is, as for other applications, of high importance.
A typical approach to ensure long-term functionality is to perform accelerated aging tests to calculate an estimated lifetime by assuming e.g. Arrhenius like equations for the timetemperature relationship. This approach requires a suitable end of life criterion considering the application of interest. This often can represent a challenge on its own.
As BAM is involved in most of the cask licensing procedures and especially responsible for the evaluation of cask-related long-term safety issues we initiated several test programs for investigating the behavior of elastomer seals. Experiments concerning the low temperature performance down to -40 °C and the influence of gamma irradiation have been started first.
Currently the thermal aging behavior of elastomer seals, which is the topic of this contribution, is examined. For our aging investigations we use a broad approach to first determine the property changes in different elastomer materials due to thermo-oxidative aging at elevated temperatures and secondly, we test how the typical methods of lifetime extrapolation can be applied to these results. This Approach enables us to detect and exclude undesired side effects which very often influence lifetime estimations. In this contribution, our recent results are extended. The results show that lifetime estimation based on single material properties can be misleading and therefore a combination of several methods is recommended.
Transport and storage of radioactive materials are performed in countries with policy of either closed or open nuclear fuel cycle. The related technologies have been established by accumulation of experiences and researches including demonstrative tests using full scale or scale models and analyses. Those are essential before commercialization, but are often costly and time consuming. Such demonstrative works should not be repeated meaninglessly, but can be shared through this kind of book and used by readers and the future generations to advance the technology effectively. This book systematically provides findings from lots of valuable researches on safety of transport and storage of radioactive materials under normal and accident conditions that have an impact on basis of safe regulations, designs, and operations.
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 investigation of the long-term performance of sealing systems employed in containers of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel is one research focus area for division 3.4 \Safety of Storage Containers" at the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung. The behaviour of metallic seals, which are employed in interim storage casks for spent nuclear fuel and high active waste, over time is of high importance for ensuring safe enclosure. Therefore, investigations on these systems were started at BAM to get a general understanding of the relevant processes. Our investigations comprise investigations on different parameters which influence the seal Performance and the main part is focussed on the time and temperature dependent behaviour. Our aim is to understand the longterm behaviour of the sealing systems for evaluation of their performance during possible extended interim storage and subsequent transportation. In this contribution an overview of the performed tests and their respective results is given. A focus lies on a comparison between seals with large torus diameter in comparison to small diameters.