Structural analysis of a Japanese BWR MARK-I containment under internal pressure loading

Abstract This paper describes the elastic-plastic analysis of the Japanese BWR MARK-I steel containment vessel under pressure loadings by a general purpose finite element method code ADINA. The present study is focused on the entire deformation of the vessel rather than the stress or strain concentrations around the structural singularities such as penetrations. Elastic deformation limits, displacements and equivalent stress distributions are discussed.