| Abstract: | Sandia National Laboratories completed the testing of a 1:6-scale containment building for a light water reactor in July 1987. Results from this and other containment model testing are being used by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to benchmark analytical techniques. The validated techniques can then be used to predict the behavior of actual nuclear power plant containments to a variety of hypothesized severe accidents.The most recent containment building tested was made of reinforced concrete and had many of the features found in full-size containments. Testing consistent of a structural integrity test, and integrated leak rate test, and concluded with an overpressurization test of the structure. Highlights of the results from the overpressurization of the containment model are presented. |
