Evaluation of protective quality of prestressed concrete containment buildings of nuclear power plants

Abstract

The permeability and sorptivity properties of the two prestressed concrete containment buildings (PCCBs) of a nuclear power plant in South China, which had been under operation for 5 years, were measured by using the autoclam permeability system. The air permeability, sorptivity and water permeability indexes of No.1 PCCB are smaller than or equal to 0.11 ln(10² Pa)/min, 0.98×10⁻⁷ m³/min^1/2 and 1.93×10⁻⁷ m³/min^1/2, respectively, and the air permeability, sorptivity and water permeability indexes of No.2 PCCB are smaller than or equal to 0.17 ln(10² Pa)/min, 1.6×10⁻⁷ m³/min^1/2 and 4.43×10⁻⁷ m³/min^1/2, respectively. Based on the criteria for evaluating the protective quality of concrete structures in terms of their permeability and sorptivity properties, proposed by the research organization of the autoclam permeability system, the protective quality of No.1 PCCB is still in very good grade and that of No.2 PCCB is not in very good grade but in good grade, and the in-service inspection of the protective quality of No.2 PCCB should be strengthened in the future.

Keywords

nuclear power plant / prestressed concrete containment building / permeability properties / sorptivity properties

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