Load combination methodology development. Load combination program. Project II final report

This report documents the results of Phase I of a research project to formulate a probabilistic methodology for developing consistent criteria for the design of nuclear power plant components. A method for calculating the reliability of an individual component subjected to static and dynamic loads is developed and applied to the evaluation of reliability implied by a set of design criteria. In addition, load and resistance factors are derived such that the resulting components have, on the average, specified target component reliabilities. Since the design criteria evaluation/development requires that a number of components be studied, a simulation procedure is developed to economically obtain a population of representative component designs. Finally, some preliminary studies for allocating component target reliabilities have been made.