Seismic behavior and design of a primary shield structure consisting of steel-plate composite (SC) walls

This paper presents an analytical evaluation of the seismic behavior and design of a unique primary shield (PSW) structure consisting of steel-plate composite (SC) walls designed for a typical pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plant. Researchers in Japan have previously conducted a reduced (1/6th) scale test of a PSW structure to evaluate its seismic (lateral) load-deformation behavior. This paper presents the development and benchmarking of a detailed 3D nonlinear inelastic finite element (NIFE) model to predict the lateral load-deformation response and behavior of the 1/6th scale test structure. The PSW structure consists of thick SC wall segments with complex and irregular geometry that surround the central reactor vessel cavity. The wall segments have three layers of steel plates (one each on the interior and exterior surfaces and one embedded in the middle) that are anchored to the concrete infill with stud anchors. The results from the 3D NIFE analyses include: (i) the lateral load-deformation behavior of the PSW structure, (ii) the progression of yielding in the steel plates, concrete cracking, formation of compression struts, and (iii) the final failure mode. These results are compared and benchmarked using experimental measurements and observations reported by Shodo et al. (2003). The analytical results provide significant insight into the lateral behavior and strength of the PSW structure, and are used for developing a design approach. This design approach starts with ACI 349 code equations for reinforced concrete shear walls and modifies them for application to the PSW structure. A simplified 3D linear elastic finite element (LEFE) model of the PSW structure is also proposed as a conventional structural analysis tool for estimating the design force demands for various load combinations.