SMiRT19 Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology

[submitido por Victorio Sonzogni]

Desde: 12-08-2007
Hasta:  17-08-2007
Lugar: Toronto, Canada

19th International Conference on
Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology

SMiRT19
Fairmont Royal York
Toronto, Canada
August 12-17, 2007
www.engr.ncsu.edu/smirt-19


Welcome to SMiRT 19

These are exciting times for nuclear energy! It was announced this past June 
that the $12 billion (USD) International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor 
(ITER) project will be developed in Cadarache, France. This fusion reactor 
has been described as the world's second biggest science project after the 
International space station. The participants are China, European Union, 
Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States. In the US, a consortium of 
nuclear energy companies (NuStart Energy Development) has signed an 
agreement with the Department of Energy to participate in the new NRC 
combined Construction and Operating License (COL) process and to complete 
the design engineering for two selected reactor technologies. Two COL sites 
have now been selected. In Canada several nuclear power plants are 
undergoing major refurbishment, and two units that have been offline since 
the mid 1990s will be restarted.

The international conferences on Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology 
(SMiRT) have traditionally provided innovative and practical mechanics-based 
solutions to the planning, design, construction, operation, and regulation 
of NPPs and related facilities. SMiRT 19 will continue this tradition, 
bringing together experts and practitioners from around the world to share 
their knowledge of technology that is most relevant at this time in the 
nuclear energy industry for both current operations and future development. 
As the workforce in the nuclear industry matures, it is important for us to 
reach out to younger engineers and scientists. SMiRT 19 will provide an 
excellent opportunity for this dialog.

The International Association of Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology 
(IASMiRT) along with the American Association of Structural Mechanics in 
Reactor Technology (AASMiRT), the Center for Nuclear Power Plant Structures, 
Equipment and Piping (C-NPP-SEP) at North Carolina State University, and the 
Candian Nuclear Society (CNS) invite you to Toronto to contribute to and 
participate in this 19th SMiRT Conference.
Vernon C. Matzen, Conference Chairman

Toronto, Canada
Toronto, Canada's largest city and capital of the Province of Ontario, is 
one of the most diverse ethnic communities in the world, earning it the 
nickname "World Within a City." This vibrant urban center, home to the CN 
Tower, the world's tallest building, offers visitors many unforgettable 
attractions. Situated on the northern shore of Lake Ontario, Toronto is one 
of the southernmost cities in Canada with a latitude very close to that of 
northern California. As a result, Toronto has a surprisingly moderate 
climate. For cultural experiences, visitors can enjoy everything from live 
theatre, music, and art galleries to exploring the romance of a bygone era 
at Toronto's renowned Casa Loma. The spectacular Niagara Falls, one of the 
Seven Wonders of the World, is only an hour away. The Toronto tourism and 
convention bureaus have something to offer all attendees of SMiRT 19.
Tours

Technical tours will be offered to SMiRT 19 participants.  Social activities 
and sightseeing tours around Toronto will be organized for participants and 
accompanying guests.




IMPORTANT DATES

July 31, 2006 - Deadline for Abstract Submission and
Post-SMiRT 19 Seminar Proposals
October 19-21, 2006 - International Scientific Committee Planning Meeting 
and General Assembly
November 30, 2006 - Notification of paper acceptance
February 28, 2007 - Deadline for final paper





DIVISIONS


Division B
Computational Mechanics and Computing Applications


New developments in computational methods for non-linear mechanics 
(material, damage, large deformations), thermal hydromechanics, impact and 
vibration of structures, localized modeling and behavior. Computational 
aspects of fluid-structure interaction and fluid dynamics. Multiscale 
modeling. Computational software, quality assurance, validation and control 
of errors. Software reliability. Digital control systems. Information 
infrastructure, Optimization. Systems analysis and decision support.


Division C
Fuel and Core Structures


Power reactor fuel design and integrity analysis, thermo-mechanical 
modeling, Zr-based tube fracture, response to fast transients and seismic 
events, flow-induced vibrations, high burn-up behavior, irradiation assisted 
stress corrosion cracking (IASCC).
Fuel cycles and integrity in advanced reactors, optimization techniques, 
proliferation resistance issues, fuel integrity in fabrication and 
manufacturing, fuel cask design.
Evaluation of load carrying capacity of structures and mitigation of severe 
accident consequences. Consequences inside the vessel include hydrogen 
generation, vapor explosion, natural circulation, core debris retention, 
external reactor vessel cooling, degraded core reflooding, hot leg creep, 
steam generator tube rupture, reactor vessel rupture, thermal attack of 
lower head penetrations, fission product revaporation/revolatilization.


Division D
Aging, Material Degradation, Life Extension and License Renewal


New developments in life prediction, aging management, integrity assessment. 
Experience in life extension, life cycle management, license renewal, 
periodic safety review, repair and replacement. Evaluation of existing 
facilities. Damage and failure.
Effects of aging on material properties and structural performance. 
Mathematical modeling and application in structural and continuum mechanics 
of the material behavior of solids. Experimental and analytical methods 
applied to nonlinear inelastic behavior of solids. Constitutive laws for 
monotonic, cyclic and dynamic loadings. Fundamental aspects of constitutive 
laws for isotropic and anisotropic materials. Material degradation in power 
generation equipment.

Division F
Design Methods and Rules for Components


New development on design rules including the rules for dynamic loading, 
ratcheting, buckling and instability, creep damage, fatigue, creep failure 
interaction, thermal striping, composite structures, material 
characterization for design rules, design optimization, residual stress in 
weld, tube expansion, and application of codes and standards.

Division G
Fracture Mechanics and Structural Integrity


Simplified methods, experimental and theoretical results on brittle and 
ductile fracture. Crack propagation by creep or fatigue. Local approach of 
fracture mechanics. Cracks in welds. Structural integrity assessment of 
steel components, such as reactor vessels, and piping systems. Leak before 
break assessment.

Division H
Concrete Material, Containment and Other Structures


Constitutive laws of concrete. Modeling, analysis, design, and construction 
of concrete containment and other structures. Cracking, leakage across 
concrete walls, and localized behavior. Temperature and environmental 
effects on concrete behavior. Creep, fracture and size effects. Concrete 
hydration. Anchorage systems. Containment liner and its interaction with 
concrete behavior. Testing of concrete materials and components.

Division J
Analysis and Design for Dynamic and Extreme Loads


Dynamic analysis of structures for short-duration and impulsive loads; Load 
and damage induced by vibration and fluid-structure interaction. 
Vibration-induced fatigue, failure mode and prevention. Dynamic 
fluid-structure interaction, flow-induced vibration and response of 
submerged elements. Dynamic instabilities. Impact loads on metallic and 
concrete structures, aircraft impacts, missiles impacts, fire safety and 
protection, transport accidents. Design guidelines. Homeland security.
Evaluation of load carrying capacity of structures and mitigation of severe 
accident consequences. Example of consequences outside the vessel are 
rupture of the reactor coolant system pressure boundary, high pressure melt 
ejection, direct containment heating, vapor explosion, molten core concrete 
interaction, hydrogen deflagration/detonation, debris liner attack, reactor 
cavity flooding.

Division K
Seismic Analysis, Design and Qualification


Seismology and earthquake engineering. Reference seismic ground motion. 
Effects on foundations, structures, systems and components. Soil-structure 
interaction. Liquefaction. Experimental and analytical methods for seismic 
response analysis of structures and subsystems. Advanced seismic-resistant 
design concepts (seismic isolation or energy absorption systems). Seismic 
design and qualification of plants, structures, systems and components.


Division M
Structural Reliability, Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA), and 
Risk-informed Applications


Reliability and risk of components, structures and structural systems in 
nuclear power plants, covering probabilistic safety assessment. Application 
of probabilistic methods to improve design and operation of complex system 
including nuclear power plants. Natural phenomena probabilistic hazard 
analysis, external events PSA and margin studies. Development and 
application of risk-informed approaches. Risk-informed codes and standards. 
Risk-informed inspection and maintenance applications.


Division O
Operation, Inspection and Maintenance



O&M costs. Operational experience and feedback. In service inspection and 
maintenance applications. Re-engineering. Performance issues and performance 
evaluations, uprating issues and experiences. Outage management. Plant 
systems maintenance improvements.
All aspects of the use of NE for structural integrity including specifically 
the following areas: NDE for structural integrity, NDE training, 
qualification or performance demonstration, risk-based assessment of 
structural integrity, NDE systems automation and field application, 
theoretical NDE modeling and model validation methodology, NDE signal 
processing, materials characterization, advanced NDE techniques and systems, 
NDE reliability including human factors, cost-effectiveness of NDE, and the 
role of NDE in plant life extension.


Division S
Advanced Reactors



Advanced Reactor Development Programs. Next generation nuclear power plants 
including light water, heavy water, gas cooled, and liquid metal reactors, 
proliferation resistant reactors. Overview/general 
interest.Regulation/licensing/regulatory research. Safety and economic 
considerations. Advanced/novel design concepts. Severe accident issues. 
Passive safety features. Thermal hydraulics. Human factors engineering. 
Digital I&C and man/machine interface. Radiation protections. Structural 
assessment and other issues. Material properties at high temperatures. 
Hydrogen production.



Division W
Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities and Waste Management


Unique structural mechanics issues associated with decommissioning of power 
plant and other facilities. Siting, design and construction of fuel cycle 
facilities. Rules and design criteria. Risk-informed and performance based 
considerations. Probabilistic safety assessments. Evaluations of existing 
facilities. High-level and low-level waste management, long-term and 
short-term waste storage and disposal, transportation issues, geologic 
studies and data.



International Association for Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology
IASMiRT
American Association for Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology
AASMiRT
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Canadian Nuclear Society (CNS)



 SMiRT-19 Secretariat
North Carolina State University
Campus Box 7908
Raleigh, NC 27695-7908
Phone:  919-515-5277     Fax: 919-515-5301
Email: smirt-19 at ncsu.edu
www.engr.ncsu.edu/smirt-19
www.iasmirt.org