An Overview of New Developments in Seismic Hazard Assessment for Wylfa Newydd

Synopsis

Horizon Nuclear Power has decided to suspend all work on Wylfa Newydd Power Station, pending future agreement on funding. Before closure on the 31^st March 2019, the team responsible for the seismic hazard studies would like to share their work and key new developments in this half day meeting. The meeting will present an overview of the ground investigation, potential for ground rupture, seismic hazard calculations and definition of design spectra. Much of the work has not been undertaken previously, but meets the philosophy of the ONR’s new TAG-13 document.

About the speakers

Tim Courtney is the Lead Engineer for external hazards at Horizon. He is the focal point for demonstrating the capability of Horizon’s ABWR to withstand external hazards. This includes challenges from events such as flood, earthquake and extreme meteorological conditions. Tim will present an overview of the seismic hazard assessment, roles and responsibilities and will conclude by explaining the philosophy for defining the seismic design criteria based on ASCE43 and NUREG RG 1.208.

Dr Matthew Free is a Director of Arup and leads the natural hazard and risk management team for the UKIMEA region. He is a chartered scientist and chartered geologist with over 30 years’ experience working on major infrastructure projects worldwide. Matthew led the assessment of capable faulting at Wylfa Newydd together with experts from BGS. Matthew will present an overview of the assessment process, the development of the state of the art digital spatial model, advanced age dating and the subsequent development of the site’s geological history.

Ziggy Lubkowski is an Associate Director at Arup and RAEng Visiting Professor in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering at UCL. He has over 30 years’ experience in seismic hazard and soil-structure interaction studies for the nuclear industry. Ziggy was the technical director responsible for the delivery of Arup’s seismic hazard studies. He will present an overview of the seismic source characterisation for the PSHA and provide an overview of the probabilistic site response analyses undertaken to define both the GMRS and FIRS criteria.

Richard Tripe is a Principal Geotechnical Engineer at Atkins with over 15 years’ experience. He has extensive experience in advanced site characterisation, interpretation of geophysical testing, and seismic and dynamic assessments and design. Richard led the seismic interpretation and advanced site characterisation of the Wylfa Newydd site. He will provide an overview of the award winning investigations and an overview of the geophysical investigations, characterising the very hard rock under the Wylfa Newydd site.

Dr Manuela Villani is a Senior Engineering Seismologist at Arup whose specialist skills include probabilistic seismic hazard analysis, ground motion attenuation models and numerical analyses of earthquake ground motions. Manuela will present the ground motion modelling and PSHA results. In particular she will focus on the derivation of kappa for a very hard rock site, the selection and testing of appropriate ground motion models, the development of a site specific stochastic model and the sensitivity studies used to support the UHRS.

Martin Walsh is Head of Function at Horizon responsible for enabling expert engineering services and providing the lead for the structures, infrastructure and seismic hazard aspects across a diverse and extensive supply chain for the nuclear new build programme including design management, integration, discipline engineering and extensive support to both the GDA and developing safety case.

Further information

This seminar is organised by SECED and sponsored by Horizon Nuclear Power, Atkins and Arup. Non-members of the society are welcome to attend. The event is free to attend. Seats in the Thomas Telford Theatre are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be served in the Great Hall.

This event will be broadcast online.

Join event online