Civil-Structural Engineering & Design

Zachry Nuclear has evaluated the movement and placement of heavy loads throughout sensitive areas of nuclear power plants. The experience applies to all types of mobile cranes, overhead cranes, and hoists. These evaluations have been performed in strict compliance with all 29 CFR, OSHA, ANSI/ASME and NUREG 0612 acceptance criteria.

We have extensive experience with High Energy Line Break (HELB) reconstitution projects, including re-verifying the plant's licensing and design bases, confirming all break and crack locations, and determining the shutdown methods and associated required components for the plant. Zachry Nuclear has supported complete reverification of HELB Programs as well as upgrades to existing programs. Our personnel have acted as the unit's lead engineer for HELB and as the site wide HELB Program Manager. Additionally, we have completed full-scope HELB mass and energy release, compartment pressure, temperature, and flooding analyses. We have also performed HELB interaction walkdowns for pipe whip and jet impingement at numerous plants.

Zachry Nuclear has diverse hands-on experience in all aspects of large and small bore nuclear piping systems. This experience enables the development of cost-effective solutions to existing nuclear piping system challenges. Computer analysis for the effects of numerous loading conditions including dead-weight, internal pressure, thermal, wind, snow, ice, seismic, hydrodynamic, relief valve discharge, and steam/water hammer have been performed by Civil Engineering personnel.

Our extensive experience in the design and analysis of reinforced concrete structures. This experience applies to all types of reinforced concrete members, including one and two-way slabs, columns, footings, slabs on grade, beams, and shear/retaining walls. These evaluations are performed in compliance with American Concrete Institute codes (ACI 318 and ACI 349).

We provide a wide range of structural and seismic services ranging from design/analysis of pipe supports to the finite element analysis of structural components. Our expertise includes structural assessments, seismic qualification, and equipment support design/analysis and our staff of licensed professional structural engineers has extensive experience in the seismic and structural design/analysis of steel structures, Class 1E components and cabinets, ducts, cable trays, and conduits. Qualifications are performed in accordance with the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) codes.