RCC-CW & ETC-C

Purpose and scope

RCC-CW describes the rules for designing, building and testing civil engineering works in PWR reactors.

It explains the principles and requirements for the safety, serviceability and durability of concrete and metal frame structures, based on Eurocode design principles (European standards for the structural design of construction works) combined with specific measures for safety-class buildings.

The code is produced as part of the RCC-CW Subcommittee, which includes all the parties involved in civil engineering works in the nuclear sector: clients, contractors, general and specialized firms, consultancies and inspection offices.

The code covers the following areas relating to the design and construction of civil engineering works that play an important safety role:

• geotechnical aspects;
• reinforced concrete structures and galleries;
• prestressed containments with metal liner;
• metal containment and pool liners;
• metal frames;
• anchors;
• concrete cylinder pipes;
• containment leak tests.

The RCC-CW code is available as an ETC-C version specifically for EPR projects (European pressurized reactor).

Edition ETC-C 2010 and 2012

ETC-C 2010, first edition published by AFCEN has been used for the Generic Design Assessment of EPR in UK.

ETC-C 2012 integrates the feedback of Flamanville 3 and of the Generic Design Assessment.

Edition: RCC-CW 2015

Publication of the RCC-CW 2015 code early 2015 is the first edition that AFCEN has prepared and published of a generic civil engineering code that does not relate to any specific project.

It takes account of the latest changes in European standards.

It includes technological possibilities and improvements:

• bonded prestressing has been supplemented with unbonded prestressing;
• the code covers the design and development of seismic isolation devices;

• the section on external hazards has been updated to include tornadoes.

The design approach has been expanded to provide greater focus on the design extension situations in the complementary field.

Edition: RCC-CW 2016

In addition, the following improvements have been incorporated in RCC-CW 2016:

• correction of editorial mistakes, including those published as Errata 2016 of RCC-CW 2015;
• significant evolution of DANCH chapter to implement the new release of EN 1992-4.

Edition: RCC-CW 2017

The RCC-CW 2017 Edition includes the following improvements:

• Rules for anchor channels and active channels have been incorporated in chapters DANCH and CANCH;
• Chapter CCONC has been completely reworked to better fit to EN 13670 and to refer to last updated of EN 206. By the way, chapter CFNSH has been completely resorbed in CCONC.
• Chapter CCONC has been completely reworked to better fit to EN 13670 and to refer to last update of EN 206. By the way, chapter CFNSH has been completely resorbed in CCONC.
• A new chapter CCOAT for coatings and paints has been created;
• Actions to be considered in design extension hazard have been modified (chapter DGENR);
• Requirements for seismic soil column calculations have been included (appendix DA).

Edition: RCC-CW 2018

The AFCEN RCC-CW 2018 Edition includes the following improvements:

• Optimization of the requirements of minimum reinforcement,

• Introduction of construction requirements for post-installed anchors and recent update of norms

• Evolution of chaptering of reinforcement (CREIN) in conformance with EN13670

• General revision of tolerances requirements (CA)

Edition: RCC-CW 2019

The AFCEN RCC-CW 2019 Edition includes the following improvements:

• Evolution of the scope of application of durability requirements (DCONC § 3000, 4110, 9000)
• Removal of diameter pressure failure mode for anchors design (DANCH),
• Improvement of requirements on bending of links on site,
• Evolution of requirements related to leak detection for pools and tanks (DPLIN & CPLIN),
• Introduction of industrial feedback for containment tests and monitoring (Chapter MCONT).

Edition: RCC-CW 2020

The AFCEN RCC-CW 2020 Edition includes the following improvements:

• Update of quality management system requirements (GGENP, GA),
• Clarification of the Load Combination (LC 10) for steelwork (DGENR 3400),
• Requirements for Deep foundations (DGEOT 7000, CGEOT 8000),
• Evolution of leaktightness requirements SLS (DCONC 6000),
• Evolution of the durability requirements: reduction of concrete cover (DCONC, CA),
• Improvement of the required minimum reinforcement with scale effect for containment (DCONC),
• Minor corrections on wording (DCLIN, DPLIN),
• Evolution of requirements related to the design and installation of anchorages (DANCH, CANCH),
• Evolution of the Seismic appendix (DA),
• Editorial corrections (CCONC),
• Overall revision of the prestressing requirements (CPTSS, CC, CCONC, DCONC),
• A new chapter CGEOM on geomembranes,
• A new chapter CCONT for containment construction,
• A new Part AM (Ageing management) with two new chapters:
  • AMGENR: General requirements,
  • AMCONT: Ageing management for containment.

Edition: RCC-CW 2021

The AFCEN RCC-CW 2021 Edition includes the following improvements:

• Revision of terminology for pool temperature loads (DGENR)
• Improvement of the code requirements concerning water levels (DGENR)
• Evolution of requirements for liquefaction (DGEOT- CGEOT)
• Evolution of requirements for liner mean yield stress (DCONC, CCLIN)
• Evolution of requirements for lamellar tearing (DSTLW)
• Introduction of T head bolts and shear connectors (DANCH 5000, DANCH 6000)
• Evolution of requirement formulations in seismic appendix (DA)
• Improvement of the code requirements for Shrinkage (DB)
• Evolutions on the welding for anchors systems (CANCH)
• Evolution of construction joints (CCONC)
• Concerning Part AM (Ageing management):

Edition: RCC-CW 2023

• Requirement engineering for part G (GTABL, GREFD, GDEFN, GGENP, GA)
• New section for climate change (DGENR)
• Modification of the action covering the temperature variation of pool water in case of severe accident (DGENR)
• Evolution concerning displacement approach (DGEOT)
• Addition of the in-service temperature of concrete in the RCC-CW (DCONC)
• Modification of strain criteria for liner with shape defects (DCLIN, CCLIN)
• Impact of EN 1090-2 evolution (DSTLW, CSTLW, CCLIN, CPLIN)
• Extension of the chapters about bonded anchors and post-installed anchors (DANCH, CANCH)
• Introduction of the EAD 330008-03-0601 (DANCH, CANCH)
• Evolution concerning uncertainty management and nonlinear SSI (DA)
• Clarification of the appendix DE (New sketches and tables)
• Addition of the notion of third-party body for welding procedure qualifications and welder qualifications (CCLIN, CPLIN)
• Requirement engineering for part AM (AMGENR, AMGEOT, AMCONC, AMCONT)
• AMANCH: Ageing management for anchor systems (new chapter).