Seismic Response Analysis of Buried Nuclear Power Plant Structures in Non-Bedrock Sites

In this paper, a refined 3D direct finite element model including nuclear power plant structures and soil is developed. The wave input method, including free-field loads and a viscous spring artificial boundary, is used. The effects of structural burial depths on the seismic response of power plant structures are studied. Research shows that the seismic response of this new nuclear power structure is influenced by structural burial depths. The seismic response of the acceleration response and relative floor displacement decreases significantly with increasing structural burial depths. The floor spectrum in the low-frequency region is less influenced by different burial depths. The region of the frequency band corresponding to the peak floor spectrum is significantly influenced by different burial depths. The frequencies corresponding to the peak of the floor spectrum shift towards the lower-frequency bands. The higher-frequency bands of the floor spectrum are less influenced by different burial depths.