Numerical analysis of a nuclear containment structure subjected to an aircraft impact

This paper examines a scenario of a crash of a large modern aircraft into a typical nuclear containment structure. The numerical analysis is conducted using a recently developed constitutive model for concrete reinforced with two orthogonal sets of steel bars. First, the main assumptions embedded in the mathematical approach are reviewed. The formulation addresses the homogeneous deformation mode, prior to cracking, as well as the localized mode associated with formation of macrocracks. Later, the results of a thermo-mechanical analysis are presented assessing the extent of structural damage in the containment structure under the aircraft impact. The primary emphasis here is on the methodology employed; the actual geometry of the structure is hypothetical.