NDTsi 2001 Session: Major Component Inspection I-IV
Development Priorities for Non-Destructive Examination of Concrete Structures in Nuclear Plant - An International Perspective
L. Smith, British Energy, UK; L. de Marneffe, Tractebel, Belgium; E. Mathet, OECD-NEA, France; P. Contri IAEA, Austria; T. McNulty, HM Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, UK
ABSTRACT
In recent years there has been an increased interest in the ageing management of nuclear power plant civil engineering structures. A significant aspect of this is Non-Destructive Examination of important structures to detect defects and confirm structural integrity. NDE techniques have been used for many years in the civil engineering industry for the examination of important structures such as dams, bridges and buildings but such work on nuclear power plant structures has been limited by their complexity and physical constraints. In 1994, the Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations of the OECD-NEA set up a Task Group under its Working Group on Integrity of Components and Structures (IAGE) to study the need for a programme of international activities in the area of concrete structural integrity and ageing. The task group reviewed national and international activities in the area of ageing of nuclear power plant concrete structures and the relevant activities of other international agencies. A programme of workshops was developed to address specific technical issues that were prioritised by the task group into three levels of priority. In-service inspection techniques for reinforced concrete structures having thick sections and areas not directly accessible for inspection on nuclear power plants were given first priority and an international workshop on development priorities for the non-destructive examination of concrete structures was held in November 1997. A specific task was dedicated to the analysis of the integration of NDE in structured ageing management programmes (AMP) where inspection, testing and maintenance contribute to guarantee the assigned safety level to any component. The implications at the regulatory level have been studied: many recommendations in fact have been issued by some participants of the task group on the most suitable techniques and their optimal use in the management of safety. This paper identifies the needs, requirements and priorities for NDE development with regard to NPP structures and summarises recent related international activities and developments. The relationship between NDE, instrumentation and in-service inspection is also described.
Publication Source: 3nd International Conference on NDE in Relation to Structural Integrity for Nuclear and Pressurized Components, November 14-16, 2001, Seville Spain. Publisher: Tecnatom s.a. - [Homepage]
