Alternatively to experimental drop tests, the mechanical safety analyses of containers for final disposal of radioactive waste with negligible heat generation in the German Konrad repository may be carried out by numerical simulations within the safety assessment procedure. In the past, safety assessments for thin-walled steel sheet containers have been done exclusively by prototype tests and unfavorable drop scenarios were determined by engineering judgment. So far, reliable numerical simulations do not exist. Therefore, a research project was started to develop numerical simulation approaches for drop test analyses and to determine existing safety margins. Comparisons of experimental and numerical results confirm that the Finite Element (FE) model represents the general mechanical behavior of the steel sheet container sufficiently. Simulations have been used to determine an unfavorable drop scenario resulting in large deformation and damage. This paper presents the investigations carried out as well as the further development of the FE model in terms of damage mechanics.
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