Fast Reactors and Accelerator Driven Systems Knowledge Base

Conference Article: Experimental testing of reduced scale seismic isolation bearings for the advanced liquid metal reactor

Abstract

A series of tests of reduced-scale seismic isolation bearings undertaken in support of the development of a seismic isolation concept for the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) is described. A procurement specification applicable to both full-size and reduced-scale bearings was developed by the program participants and used to purchase bearings of four different designs from two manufacturers. The high-damping rubber isolators were subjected to horizontal, vertical, and failure tests designed to quantify their mechanical properties both within the range of design loads and displacements as well as to establish their margins before failure. The test results show that bearings from both manufacturers provide stable and repeatable behavior with minor variations in stiffness and damping as a function of loading frequency and load history. None of the bearings showed substantial variation in properties due to changes in axial load. All of the bearings exhibited exceptional behavior when loaded beyond the design level, with displacement margins greater than 3 and force margins greater than 4. This test program provides a thorough data-set for further analytical and experimental validations of the seismic isolation concept.

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Reference:

Final report of a co-ordinated research project 1996-1999

International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

IAEA-TECDOC--1288, pp:191-249