scope:

The American Concrete Institute "Code Requirements for Nuclear Safety-Related Concrete Structures (ACI 349M- 13)," called the Code, provides minimum requirements for reinforced concrete design or construction in applications where protection against potential radioactive releases is a concern. The scope of the Code provides requirements for the analysis, design, construction, testing, and evaluation of new and existing concrete nuclear structures. While the requirements of this Code pertain primarily to new concrete structures, corresponding recommendations for the evaluation of existing concrete nuclear structures are provided in ACI 349.3R.1.1 Some special structures involve unique problems that are not covered by the Code, such as structures that function as leakage barriers to contain the effects of the loss of coolant accident. The owner is to identify nuclear safety-related structures and establish which of them are covered by "Code for Concrete Containments (ACI 359)"^1.2 and its latest revisions instead of this Code. The Code is applicable to radioactive waste repository structures; however, considerations of thermal loads, load combinations, and long-term durability should be considered.

In general, the Code requirements are based on test results from concrete specimens having a compressive strength of 40 MPa or less. Although no maximum concrete compressive strength is specified, the applicability of various requirements and formulations should be verified when concrete compressive strengths are higher than 40 MPa.

Minimum compressive concrete strength has been established as 21 MPa to be consistent with the seismic provisions of Chapter 21 of ACI 349M-13 and ACI 318.