Self-Monitoring Surveillance System for Prestressing Tendons. Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research

摘要

Assured safety and operational reliability of post-tensioned concrete components of nuclear power plants are of great importance to the public, electric utilities, and regulatory agencies. Prestressing tendons provide principle reinforcement for containment structures. In this phase of the research effort, the feasibility of developing a passive surveillance system for identification of ruptures in tendon wires was evaluated and verified. A one-tenth scale ring model of the Palo Verde nuclear containment structure was built inside the Structural Laboratory. Dynamic scaling (similitude) relationships were used to relate measured sensor responses (to intentional wire breaks) to the expected prototype response. Strong and recognizable signatures were detected by the accelerometers used. It is concluded that the unbonded prestressing tendon provide an excellent path for transmission of stress waves resulting from wire breaks.