Structural Mechanics in Nuclear Power Technology

Diagram of an RBMK reactor design.

The RBMK reactor design pictured above was used at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. This severely flawed design has a "positive void coefficient", meaning the nuclear chain reaction and power output increases when cooling water is lost. (Image courtesy of U.S. Dept. of Energy's International Nuclear Safety Center.)

Instructor(s)

MIT Course Number

22.314J / 1.56J / 2.084J

As Taught In

Fall 2006

Level

Graduate

Cite This Course

Course Description

Course Features

Course Description

This course deals with structural components in nuclear power plant systems, their functional purposes, operating conditions, and mechanical-structural design requirements. It combines mechanics techniques with models of material behavior to determine adequacy of component design. Considerations include mechanical loading, brittle fracture, in-elastic behavior, elevated temperatures, neutron irradiation, and seismic effects.

Other Versions

Related Content

Mujid Kazimi, and Oral Buyukozturk. 22.314J Structural Mechanics in Nuclear Power Technology. Fall 2006. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare, https://ocw.mit.edu. License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.


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