Numerical Investigation on Bearing Capacity Contribution and Failure Mechanism of Key Components in Containment Steel Liner Anchorage System

The containment structure serves as the final leak-tight barrier of nuclear power plants, making it critical to nuclear safety. The stable performance of the steel liner anchorage system is the fundamental prerequisite for maintaining the structural integrity of the containment. However, existing studies lack systematic quantification of the mechanical behavior and bearing capacity contributions of key components (angle steels, studs) in such anchorage system, creating significant uncertainties to the engineering design of steel liner plates. In this study, a high-fidelity three-dimensional numerical model of the steel liner composite anchorage system is established. A systematic parametric analysis is conducted to investigate the influence of angle steel quantity and stud row number on the system’s mechanical response. Three typical failure modes are identified for the steel liner anchorage system, and the individual contributions of long angle steels, short angle steels and studs to the global load-bearing capacity are quantified independently. The rationality of the angle steel spacing design employed in the prototype structure is confirmed, and the nonlinear contribution characteristics of angle steels and studs are elucidated. The findings provide a crucial theoretical foundation for the optimal design and safety assessment of the steel liner anchorage system in nuclear plants.