Engineering consultancy Structural Integrity Associates has developed a Modular Wall Barrier System that offers improved protection for nuclear plants and critical infrastructure applications.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission requires that the nation's nuclear plants protect against a variety of manmade and natural threats, including, hurricanes, tornadoes and associated wind-generated missiles.
Structural Integrity's innovative missile barrier features a concrete panel with a layer of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene and a cabling and support system.
Plant owners have had to build a massive concrete wall to protect safety-related systems, structures and components against wind-generated missiles. The size of the wall required (sometimes > 12" thick) presents challenges, as does the fact that it often has to be constructed in a constricted space, Structural Integrity says.
It says its wall meets NRC requirements and offers a number of benefits over the standard approach. For example, the impact barrier is relatively thin and the modular design allows the system to be easily installed in constricted areas and easily dismantled if needed.
