Pipe-damping studies and nonlinear pipe benchmarks from snapback tests at the Heissdampfreaktor. [PWR]

During 1979, structural dynamic tests were conducted on the URL piping system at the Heissdampfreaktor in Kahl, Federal Republic of Germany. This was a major piping system; it was similar in size to the primary coolant loop of a pressurized water reactor. The pipe supports had nonlinear characteristics. The two major topics discussed are: (1) simulation of some of the dynamic tests using a nonlinear elastic finite element model of the piping system, and (2) investigation of the damping in the system using the experimental data. The pipe supports were modeled as being nonlinear elastic devices. The response of the model to earthquake excitation and an analytical study of damping in a simple system are also discussed.