Dynamic analysis of VVER type nuclear power plants using different procedures for consideration of soil-structure interaction effects Original Research Article

The dynamic response of structures due to seismic loadings is conventionally analyzed in the time domain using substructure methods (decoupled system models). This procedure uses frequency-independent impedances to represent capabilities of the soil underneath the structure. The soil parameters are tuned to the fundamental frequencies of the soil-structure system. This is a common procedure widely used in the preliminary design of power plant structures which provides conservative results. However, parallel to the rapid progress being made in upgrading the capability of data processing systems, methods and software tools have become available which work also in the frequency domain using complex models (for the soil and the structure) or models in which the soil is represented by frequency-dependent impedances. This procedure (coupled system models) also allows realistic treatment of kinematic interaction effects and especially consideration of the embedment parameters of the building structure. The main goal of the study presented here was to demonstrate the effects of different procedures for consideration of soil-structure interaction on the dynamic response of the structures mentioned above. The analyses were based on appropriate mathematical models of the coupled vibrating structures (reactor building, turbine hall, intermediate building structures of a VVER 440/213 as well as the main building of the VVER 1000) and the layered soil. On the basis of this study, it can be concluded that substructure methods using frequency-independent impedances (equivalent dashpots) and cut-off of modal damping usually provide conservative results. Coupled system models which allow the soil-structure interaction effects to be realistically represented (by coupled models of the soil and the structure or by frequency-dependent impedances) provide more accurate results. The advantage of the analysis using coupled system models will be demonstrated and discussed, based on results obtained for the VVER 440/213 PAKS and VVER 1000 Kozloduy.