Existing Structural Studies cont'd

DOE-HDBK-3010-94

Appendix B; Plutonium Recovery Facility

not exist, and questions have been raised as to how exactly corporate standards were followed

during construction.

An independent study of the facility was performed by Brown and Associates in 1985. This

study relied on extensive facility walk-throughs, review of available documentation, and

limited radiography and core tap examinations. The study concluded that the PRF is, in fact,

a robust structure, and that the design basis equivalent tornado of 119 mph from UCRL-

15910 would not cause significant damage to the structure. The bulk of the remainder of the

study dealt with seismic issues.

Site-specific response spectra used in the evaluation were defined in an independent study

conducted by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. These response spectra provided

surface accelerations at an average soil depth. For return periods of one in 1000 years and

one in 10,000 years, acceleration levels are 0.13g and 0.26g. The 1985 structural

assessment reached the following conclusions about expected seismic damage up to and

including a level of 0.30 g:

Probable Damage

g-Level

0.1

Small movement of gypsum board walls. Minor cracking.

0.12

Large cracking in gypsum board walls. Generically supported

piping fails.

0.15

Onset of potential for utility equipment failures. Highest value

at which continued supply of electrical power can be assumed.

Represents threshold of ventilation unavailability due to loss of

power.

0.18

General failure of non-concrete walls. Onset of failure of

supported process piping.

0.21

Onset of minor cracking of non-shear internal concrete walls.

Onset of external glovebox connection pipe and wiring failure.

From 10% to 20% of the tanks other than plutonium process

tanks fail.

0.24

Onset of minor external wall cracking. Spalling of internal

concrete walls possible.

Page B-12