CII Distinguished Lecture Series: Dr. Andrew Whittaker

Join Andrew Whittaker, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., SUNY Distinguished Professor at the University at Buffalo, for a presentation titled “Risk-informed, Performance-based Design of Seismic Isolation Systems for Nuclear Power Plants.” The talk will explore emerging approaches to the design and licensing of next-generation nuclear power plants, including risk-informed methodologies for seismic base isolation, displacement capacity calculations, and prototype testing requirements for isolation and energy dissipation devices.

Presenter

Andrew Whittaker, Ph.D., P.E., S.E.

SUNY Distinguished Professor, University at Buffalo

Abstract

Risk-informed pathways are being developed to support the design and licensing of next-generation nuclear power plants. This presentation describes one such pathway for implementing seismic base isolation. The methodology has evolved from a rigorous risk-based framework involving isolation-system-specific seismic displacement demand curves, fragility functions, and numerical integration of seismic risk, to a simplified closed-form procedure requiring displacement calculations only at an annual frequency of exceedance corresponding to the target performance goal (TPG). The resulting median displacement capacity, D50, provides the basis for prototype testing of seismic isolators and dampers.

The presentation begins with an overview of the nuclear regulatory framework relevant to risk-informed seismic design, followed by the derivation of displacement demand curves, development of isolation-system fragility functions, calculation of D50, and the associated prototype testing requirements for seismic isolation and energy dissipation devices.