Generation of floor response spectra for mixed-oxide fuel fabrication plants

Floor or amplified response spectra are generally used as input motion for seismic analysis of critical equipment and piping in nuclear power plants and related facilities. The floor spectra are normally the result of a time-history calculation of building response to ground shaking. However, alternate approximate methods have been suggested by both Kapur and Biggs. As part of a study for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission horizontal floor response spectra were generated and compared by all three methods. The dynamic analyses were performed on a model of the Westinghouse Recycle Fuels Plant Manufacturing Building (MOFFP). Input to the time-history calculations was a synthesized accelerogram whose response spectrum is similar to that in Regulatory Guide 1.60. The response spectrum of the synthetic ground motion was used as input to the Kapur and Biggs methods. Calculations were performed for both hard (3500 fps) and soft (1500 fps) foundation soils. Results of comparison of the three methods indicate that although the approximate methods could easily be made acceptable from a safety standpoint, they would be overly conservative. The time-history method will yield floor spectra which are less uncertain and less conservative for a relatively modest additional effort. (auth