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Modelling and simulation of concrete melting and fracture in corium-concrete interaction


Thesis topic details

General information

Organisation

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.

Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.

The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
  

Reference

SL-DES-25-0002  

Thesis topic details

Category

Engineering science

Thesis topics

Modelling and simulation of concrete melting and fracture in corium-concrete interaction

Contract

Thèse

Job description

In certain accidental situations, it is important to assess the consequences of severe thermal loading on the mechanical behaviour of concrete structures, particularly with regard to potential cracking. This is particularly the case in the study of corium-concrete interaction. As part of the assessment of the consequences of a hypothetical severe accident, a core meltdown may be considered. The molten mixture, known as corium, then spreads into the reactor and comes into contact with the concrete. Various phenomena can occur, leading to partial ablation of the material. Given the stakes involved in terms of environmental protection, it is essential to have modelling tools that can represent the mechanisms involved. The aim of this thesis is to develop a comprehensive simulation methodology to represent the mechanical consequences of corium-concrete interaction, including local-scale modelling to represent the ablation of the cementitious material. Particular attention will be paid to the concrete cracking model (development of a model adapted to severe thermal loading, concrete ablation criteria) and to the thermal-mechanical-flow chaining of tools for representing the penetration of corium into cracks. This work will be carried out in collaboration between CEA SACLAY (which has the first tools for simulating thermomechanical behaviour) and CEA Cadarache (which has numerical and experimental expertise in corium-concrete interaction).

University / doctoral school

Sciences Mécaniques et Energétiques, Matériaux et Géosciences (SMEMaG)
Paris-Saclay

Thesis topic location

Site

Saclay

Requester

Position start date

01/10/2025

Person to be contacted by the applicant

JASON Ludovic ludovic.jason@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DM2S/SEMT
DES/ISAS/DM2S/SEMT
Bat 607 Pièce 124A
91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex


0169089021

Tutor / Responsible thesis director

JASON Ludovic ludovic.jason@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DM2S/SEMT
DES/ISAS/DM2S/SEMT
Bat 607 Pièce 124A
91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex


0169089021

En savoir plus

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ludovic-jason-a43bab25a/?originalSubdomain=fr