Finite element modelling of the one meter drop test on a steel bar for the CASTOR cask

This paper presents a numerical analysis of the 1 m drop test on a steel bar of a CASTOR AVR cask where the impact is in a region with cooling fins as well as in a region where the fins have been locally removed. The paper consists of two parts: (i) a parameter study with an overall objective to derive an analysis methodology and (ii) comparison with experimental data. The parameter study includes parameters that can not be, or were not, defined directly from the experimental data as well as parameters linked to the numerical procedures within the finite element procedure. The parameters are validated by their influence on the model responses and effort needed for the assessment of their appropriate values. Then the model with the “best” parameter set is verified against the experimental results. The agreement between experimental and simulation results are very good.