Study on Three-Dimensional Seismic Isolation System for Next Generation Nuclear Power Plant: Independent Cable Reinforced Rolling-Seal Air Spring

In Japan, the development of the next generation NPP has been conducted in recent years. In the equipment/piping design of the plant, seismic condition has been required much more mitigate than before. So, the three-dimensional (abbreviation to 3D) seismic isolation system development has also been conducted since 2000. The superlative 3D base isolation system for the entire building was proposed. The system is composed of cable reinforced air springs, rocking arresters and viscous dampers. Dimensions of the air spring applied to the actual power plant are 8 meters in the outer-diameter and 3.5 meters in height. The allowable half strokes are 1.0 meters in horizontal and 0.5 meters in vertical respectively. The maximum supporting weight for a single device is 70 MN. The inner design air pressure is about 1.8MPa. This air spring has a distinguishing feature, which realizes 3D base isolation with a single device, whose natural periods are about 4 seconds in horizontal and about 3 seconds in vertical. In order to verify the 3D performance of this system, several feasibility tests were conducted. Firstly, 3D shaking table tests were conducted. The test specimen is scaled 1/4 of the actual device. The outer diameter and inner air pressure of air spring is 2 meters and 0.164 MPa. Next, a pressure resistant test for the sub cable, textile sheet and rubber sheet, which composed air spring, were conducted as a full scale model test. Then, air permeation test for the rubber sheet was also conducted. As a result, the proposed system was verified that it could be applied to the actual nuclear power plants.