Safety of transport & storage containers: Drop tests
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Drop tests | Drop test facility

Transport and storage containers for radioactive or other hazardous substances are subjected to a design test to prove their safety. The mechanical safety of the containers is demonstrated by tests in a drop test facility, which can be supplemented by calculations on accident safety.

The new large drop test facility (test samples up to 65 t) is integrated into an extensive safety area. It enables experimental design tests, as required in the context of dangerous goods and nuclear licensing procedures.

Would you like to learn more about the requirements and challenges for the testing of packaging for radioactive material? If so, please mail to TA-Marketing@iabg.de.

We treat your information confidentially, do not publish it and do not pass it on to third parties.

We support you in the preparation and execution of drop tests

  • Determination of the actual condition upon delivery of a test sample
    • Visual inspection
    • NDT 
    • Digitisation using state-of-the-art 3D scanner
  • Instrumentation, e.g. with
    • DMS
    • Acceleration sensors
    • Thermal elements
    • Path sensors (tactile or non-contact)
  • Assembly 
  • Leak test (LT2 personnel)
  • Climatisation of the test sample
  • Execution of the drop test incl. measurement data acquisition
  • Documentation of the test results

    Technical data of the drop test facilities

    The new drop test facility is integrated into an extensive safety area. The impact foundation of the large facility complies with the specifications of the IAEA for test specimens with a mass of up to 65 t..

    • Facility 1: 650 t foundation for drop tests
      • Total weight > 650 t
      • Impact plate: 6 m x 4 m x 20 cm, net weight 37 t

    • Facility 2: 240 t foundation for drop tests
      • Total weight: 240 t
      • Impact plate: 3 m x 3 m
         
    • Crane system
        • Gantry crane with 2 hoists of 65 t each
        • Lifting height 22 m | Total height 27 m
        • The hoists of the integrated gantry crane are designed in such a way that even extremely heavy and large test specimens can be turned over in a suspended position. This also allows tests of test samples with shock absorbers, which must not be loaded before the drop test.
           
      • Preparation hall (under construction, completion summer 2023)
        • for weather-protected test preparation and post-processing
        • Indoor crane 10 t for assembly
        • Customer offices
           
      • Metrology
        • Photron high-speed cameras
        • Measuring system for up to 4000 k-samples and 106 channels
        • 3D measuring technology for digitisation, deformation and movement analysis

      Optionally / additionally we offer the following services: