Reliability Assessments and Design Load Factors for Reinforced Concrete Containment Structures of Nuclear Power Plant

Reliability Assessments and Design Load Factors for Reinforced Concrete Containment Structures of Nuclear Power Plant

The current ASME code for reinforced concrete containment structures are not based on probability concepts. The stochastic nature of natural hazard or accidental loads and the variations of material properties require a probabilistic approach for a rational assessment of structural safety and performance. The paper develops design load factors for the serviceability limit state of reinforced concrete containment structures. The target limit state probability is determined and the load factors are calculated by the numerical analysis. Design load factors are proposed and carried out the reliability assessments.