MODIFICATION
R -- Investigation and Modeling of Element-Level Soil Behavior under Multi-Dimensional Loading - Solicitation 1
- Notice Date
- 5/5/2011
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 541690
— Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Administration, Division of Contracts, 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, Maryland, 20852-2738, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20852-2738
- Solicitation Number
- 04-10-147
- Archive Date
- 6/21/2011
- Point of Contact
- Matthew J. Bucher, Phone: 3014923485, Jeffrey R. Mitchell, Phone: (301) 492-3639
- E-Mail Address
-
Matthew.Bucher@nrc.gov, jeffrey.mitchell@nrc.gov
(Matthew.Bucher@nrc.gov, jeffrey.mitchell@nrc.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Request for Proposal NUREG-0650, Revision 2 Regulatory Guide 1.198 Conflict of Interest Attachment Billing Instructions for Cost-Reimbursement Contracts Appendix A, "General Design Criteria for Nuclear Power Plants," to 10 CFR Part 50, General Design Criterion (GDC) 2, "Design Bases for Protection Against Natural Phenomena," requires, in part, that nuclear power plant structures, systems, and components (SSCs) important to safety must be designed to withstand the effects of natural phenomena (such as earthquakes) without loss of capability to perform their safety functions. This includes not only the effects of shaking, but also possible shear or volumetric deformations in the underlying geologic foundation materials. Regulatory Guide 1.198, "Procedures and Criteria for Assessing Seismic Soil Liquefaction at Nuclear Power Plant Sites," provides guidance on seismic assessments, but currently provides minimal guidance on how to conduct deformation assessments. Traditionally, site performance has been assessed using the assumption (either implied or explicitly) of one-dimensional (1D) propagation of waves, at both an element level and a site-scale level. These 1D analyses often include assessments of both seismic shaking and of seismic deformations. However, over the past decade or more, there has been a significant increase in the awareness that this may not always be appropriate (and is possibly un-conservative) in some cases. On an element level, there is a fundamental understanding that soils are sheared in three dimensions during earthquakes, although very limited research has been performed to assess the related multi-dimensional effects. This is true in part because specialized equipment (i.e. multi-directional simple shear) is required and the large majority of testing is performed using the more common 1D or 2D equipment. There are currently very limited datasets of bi¬directional simple shear laboratory testing to elucidate the effects of multi-dimensional loading. However, the limited research that has been performed on dense sands to date indicates that current modeling tools, which are based on early unidirectional testing, will under-predict deformations in sandy materials in some cases. Understanding the true potential deformations in dense sandy materials under multi-directional loading is essential for undertaking reliable performance-based assessments of nuclear installations. Dense sands and sand mixtures are the most common soil types found at proposed non-rock nuclear sites. Because some multi-dimensional element level simple shear laboratory testing results have served to highlight the critical importance of developing a better understanding of multi¬dimensional loading in deformation-focused performance-based engineering, the NRC is initiating a coordinated research effort to address several inter-related issues related to multidirectional loading of nuclear sites. This request for proposal is part of that effort. Using tools, such as high-end soil-structure-interaction methods, the impact of 2D and 3D seismic loading on a nuclear power plant and its site, including the effects of soil deformation on the structural foundation and piping, can be analyzed. However, undertaking these analyses requires 3D material constitutive models. Unfortunately, as a result of the general lack of multidirectional laboratory data available, there has been limited development and validation of soil constitutive models focused on 3D loading. This project addresses this need by undertaking both the testing and modeling tasks needed to further develop existing constitutive dense sand models. The NRC is currently also undertaking a separate program to develop a new open-source Soil¬Structure-Interaction (SSI) modeling tool based on the OpenSEES platform for the purpose of undertaking collaborative and in-house research on performance-based design of nuclear power plants (NPPs). New multi-dimensional dense sand models are needed for this upcoming SSI research. Models developed in the project described here must be compatible with this OpenSEES-based platform. In addition, there is now an understanding that the element-level behavior of sands under multi¬directional loading (in terms of modulus degradation and damping curves) is sometimes very different than under 1D loading and is a function of ground motion rotation in addition to loading. Currently the NRC has a separate cooperative program with the Bureau of Reclamation underway to develop new multi-dimensional site response tools focused on the impacts of multi¬directional loading on shaking. Efforts will be made by NRC staff to bring synergy between these projects to the degree possible. The objective of this contract is to investigate an area of seismic performance in which recent work has shown that current tools and methods may be un-conservative. This work will improve understanding of the behavior of dense sands and sandy material under multi-dimensional loading through appropriate laboratory investigations. This work will then develop one or more multi-dimensional dense sand constitutive models to be used in more accurate soil-structure ¬interaction of potential seismic deformations in soils at nuclear power plants sites that are subjected to seismic loading. The results of this work will develop part of the technical basis for an update of Regulatory Guide 1.198, "Procedures and Criteria for Assessing Seismic Soil Liquefaction at Nuclear Power Plant Sites" Currently the guide notes that deformation assessments must be undertaken, but provides little guidance as to how that is done. It is anticipated that this requirement will result in one (1) contract award. It is anticipated that the contract will be a cost reimbursement type contract. The period of performance of the resultant contract will be forty eight (48) months from date of award. All proposals are due in accordance with section L.7 2052.215-72 Timely Receipt of Proposals (OCT 1999). Any proposal not received by the specified time shall be considered late and not accepted into the competition. Any questions a potential offeror may have regarding this RFP must be submitted to the contracting officer, Matthew J. Bucher, in writing at the following e-mail address, Matthew.Bucher@nrc.gov. All questions must be submitted by May 11, 2011 at Noon (EST). Any question received after this time may not be considered and all answers to any potential questions will be made publicly available through this website. http://www.fbo.gov/EPSVendorsManual/VG6-Interest.html Hard copies of the solicitation document and its related documents, as appropriate, will not be available. Because this solicitation and its related documents, as appropriate, will be posted at this website, interested parties are instructed NOT to send letters or e-mails or faxes requesting the RFP. Telephoned, e-mailed, or faxed requests for the RFP will not be accepted. Interested parties are responsible for monitoring the FedBizOpps website to assure that they have the most up-to-date information about this acquisition. The Government will not reimburse interested parties for any cost associated with responding to this business opportunity. The size standard for this solicitation is average annual receipts of $6.5 million over the past three years, as set forth under NAICS 541690. Proposals for this requirement may be submitted by all concerns, i.e., large businesses, small businesses, and small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Notice to large businesses: The subcontracting plan requirements of P.L. 95-507 are applicable to this effort. Thus, all large businesses determined to be in the competitive range must be prepared to submit a detailed subcontracting plan.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/NRC/OA/DCPM/04-10-147/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Rocville, MD, United States
- Record
- SN02441464-W 20110507/110505235132-c419b1c5c58be8fbeaef669c351ab5d7 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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