Development of Seismic Isolation System for Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors using High Load and High-Velocity Loading Machines

Abstract

Horizontal seismic isolation systems have been studied for Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactors to improve their seismic resistance. However, challenges arise in reducing seismic forces not only in the horizontal direction but also in the vertical direction. The authors have developed a new three-dimensional seismic isolation system to address this issue. A 1/2-scale test specimen was fabricated, and the force-displacement relationships were examined using static loading tests with a maximum axial force of 8000 kN to evaluate the feasibility of this design. Moreover, a horizontal oil damper was fabricated as a horizontal damping element, and its damping force was assessed through excitation tests with a maximum velocity of 2.7 m/s. This paper reports the findings of these tests.