Session: 05-04: Investigations of Cement Based Materials and Waste Matrices

Paper Number: 110093

110093 - Numerical Investigation of Cemented-Based Material to Be Used for Packaging System 

The selection of immobilization waste technologies based on cementation should demonstrate that the obtained matrices are reliable, durable, and stable. This study deals with the numerical simulation of cemented package. Both the normal and accidental storage condition are considered. The FE numerical model is adopted to benchmark several RW simulants composition and correlate/compare the structural properties.

A 3D cylindrical shaped FE model was implemented to perform thermo-mechanical coupled analysis. The thermal and mechanical problems are coupled through thermal strain loads; geometric and material nonlinearities are also taken into account. Homogeneous mechanical material properties of defined stiffness were also assumed. The thermal properties have been obtained experimentally by performing hot wire test on several samples of the cement inert matrix. These data were used as input for the numerical simulation. Moreover pseudo-dynamic analysis was carried out in order to determine the damage level in the case of an accidental drop. Ageing effects have been also investigated.

Results indicate that the thermal conductivity monotonically decreases of 20% as the temperature increases up to 800 °C. The compressive strength, even reduced mainly as consequence of increased material porosity, confirmed to be dependent on w/c ratio.

The results obtained were consistent with literature values, indicating a strong correlation between the simulation results and the established knowledge in the field.

Presenting Author: Rosa Lo Frano DICI - University of Pisa

Presenting Author Biography: Rosa Lo Frano graduated in Nuclear Engineering at the University of Pisa in 2004 while in 2008 got the Ph.D Degree in Nuclear Engineering and Industrial Safety. Currently she is appointed Full Professor in Nuclear Plant at the University of Pisa.
Since 2007, she is teaching at the MSc in Nuclear Engineering the courses of Mech., Chem. and Nuclear Engineering Design, Design of Complex and Nuclear Plants, Decommissioning, Nuclear Code (FEM module) and Structural Mechanics.
The research activity refers mainly the safety and design issues of the nuclear installations and its main components, the structural integrity against external events, ageing, the transport of radioactive materials in normal and accident conditions, the safety of RWs repository, etc.
She was/is the scientific referees for projects and contracts at national and international level, such as the AdP MSE-ENEA 2008-18, EU FP7 LEADER, EU FP7 PETRUS III, H2020 NARSIS, H2020 ENEN Plus, H2020 PREDIS, IGD-TP, etc..