Effect to the High Flux Isotope Reactor by the nearby heavy load drop

In this calculation, GE-2000 cask of 25,000 lbs is assumed to drop from a height of 20-ft above the bottom of the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) pool slab with end velocity of 430 in/sec at the loading station. The consequences of the dynamic impact to the bottom slab of the pool and to the nearby HFIR reactor vessel are analyzed by applying ABAQUS computer code. The results show that both HFIR vessel structure and its supporting legs are subjected to elastic disturbances only and will not be damaged. The bottom slab of the pool will be damaged. The plastic strain that will cause failure to the concrete slab at the point of impact extends a distance approximately half of the slab thickness of 36 inches. The plastic strain of failure for concrete is assumed to be 0.45%. The velocity response spectrum at the concrete slab next to HFIR vessel as a result of the impact is also obtained. The maximum spectral velocity is approximately 10 in/sec. It is approximately equal to the maximum magnitude of the Oak Ridge velocity spectrum formulated recently with 0.26g peak ground acceleration and 5% damping. However, the peak ground acceleration that is associated with the impact generated response spectrum curve can be as much as 20g. The high frequency acceleration waves are generated in impact problems. It is concluded that the damage caused by heavy load drop at loading station is controlled by the slab damage. The damage of slab will not be severe enough to cause the leakage of pool water