Mechanical Engineering ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 7-29-2025

Abstract

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) relies on containment vessels to safely manage special nuclear material. These containers are subject to rigorous testing—such as drop, fire, and water ingress testing—to ensure integrity under adverse conditions. While elastomer-based seals are well studied, metal-to-metal sealing mechanisms remain under investigation, particularly under dynamic loading. This research focuses on the relationship between container mating surfaces and impact loading through drop testing. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) models were developed and validated using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) to measure strain during impact. Drop tests at varying heights showed strong correlation between FEA and DIC results, confirming the model’s accuracy. The validated model is used to push science forward by estimating sealing surface gaps to predict water ingress. This approach streamlines container design by reducing physical testing and enabling quicker adaptation to evolving requirements. The results demonstrate FEA’s effectiveness in modeling deformation and estimating leak potential in next-generation nuclear containment systems.

Keywords

nuclear material container, drop testing, finite element, digital image correlation

Degree Name

Mechanical Engineering

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Mechanical Engineering

First Committee Member (Chair)

Yu-Lin Shen

Second Committee Member

Osman Anderoglu

Third Committee Member

Pankaj Kumar

Fourth Committee Member

Rajendra Vaidya

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

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