As we start 2023, the world continues to suffer from a truly global energy crisis: stubbornly high prices of oil, natural gas and coal with energy security a priority for most governments. The answer is not more environment damaging fossil fuels, but greater investments in an energy transition that looks beyond the immediate term. The biggest part of the response comes from greater emphasis on nuclear energy, hydrogen, renewables and energy efficiency.
Against this background, a European project focused on construction efficiency of nuclear power plant has just been completed. The cost of electricity generated by nuclear power is greatly affected by the capital cost, which is dependent on the construction time of the plant. The project (known by the acronym SCHEDULE – Steel Concrete High Efficiency Demonstration – eUropean colLaborative Experience) has entailed the construction of a full-scale replica of a reinforced concrete diesel generator building. It uses a modular form of construction which maximises offsite prefabrication and minimises onsite activity in order to reduce overall construction time. The aim of the project has been the development of practical construction experience and time and cost data. The building is constructed out of composite steel/ concrete modules comprising steel plates with shear studs and a concrete infill; the plates perform the dual function of permanent shuttering and reinforcement to the concrete. Whilst the demonstration building is typical of applications on nuclear sites, this form of construction offers opportunities in other sectors as an alternative to reinforced concrete. For example, it has proved very successful at significantly reducing the construction time of high rise buildings when used in the building cores.
SCHEDULE has been funded by a grant from the European Commission’s Research Fund for Coal and Steel (grant agreement number 800732) and financial contributions from ENRESA (Spain), Framatome, ORANO and ADF (France) as well as the project team.
The results of the project and the lessons learnt will be presented at a conference to be held in France on 7 and 8 March 2023. Delegates will hear directly from the project team about the experience gained in modelling, design, manufacture, construction and dismantling of this form of construction. They will also have the opportunity to visit and inspect the demonstration building.
SCHEDULE Project Team: The Steel Construction Institute, EDF, CEA, EGIS, Bouygues, Peikko and ArcelorMittal (Industeel and OCAS).
For more information contact:
Bassam Burgan, Director, SCI.
b.burgan@steel-sci.com