Jun 15, 20202 min read

Chernobyl new Anti-Radioactive structure was slid in place

On the 26th of April 1986 (33 years ago) the worst nuclear disaster in history happened.
The No.4 nuclear reactor in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded due to a fault in the safety system of the reactor.
The New Safe Confinement is a megaproject that is part of the Shelter Implementation Plan and supported by the Chernobyl Shelter Fund.
Design to contain the radiation for the next 100 years minimising the exposure.
At a height of 109 meters and a length of 257 meters, the shield is the world’s largest movable metal structure.

The New Safe Confinement will prevent the release of contaminated material from the present shelter and at the same time protect the structure from external impacts such as extreme weather.

The construction of the huge structure happened offsite and slid into place to minimise the exposure to radiation.

Death rolls of the explosion are approximated to be around 4,000 people per United Nations

Foundation Design

Foundations were designed to support the weight of the arches of the mega-structure and also have to support the rail tracks which will have to roll 180 m(590ft) from the construction site into place over reactor 4.

Digging and cutting into the upper layers of the ground must be minimised because the soil is heavily contaminated with nuclear debris from the disastrous explosion.

The site of the New Safe Confinement is slightly sloped, from 117.5m (385 ft) to 144m (473 ft) (east to west). A requirement of a minimal site levelling was required.

Chernobyl New Safe Confinement from inside

Solution: A final design consisted of three lines of two 4.5 x 1.0 metres (14.7 x 3.28 ft) foundation panels, every 21 metres (69 ft) in length and a 4m (13 ft) high pile cap.

The contract for this unprecedented design and construction project was awarded to the Novarka consortium led by the French construction companies Bouygues and Vinci in 2007.