ABSTRACT
Currently, approximately 430 Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) are in operation worldwide because of their well-recognized resource efficiency, which is much higher than that of oil-fired power plants, and approximately 150 NPPs are planned for construction. After the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, however, the structural safety of nuclear containment structures has become a global issue. Most safety-related NPP structures, including the nuclear containment structure, are concrete structures. In particular, the minimum wall thickness of a nuclear containment structure is 1.2 m (ACI 349 2006) to ensure protection against internal and external threats such as the release of radioactivity and airplane crashes or terrorist attacks. Concrete is a complex material, and its applicability should be tested based on its required performance and the environments to which it is exposed. There is a need for developing technology to prepare concrete that can ensure the structural safety of NPP structures and extend their service lives.
