Analysis of Supply Chains and Quantitative Evaluation of Mechanical Connecting Couplings (Ancon, PRESKO, RECO, HALFEN) for Large-Scale Nuclear Energy Projects

Construction of nuclear power plants (NPPs) of Generation III+ (such as the Russian VVER-1200, European EPR, and Korean APR-1400) imposes exceptional requirements on the integrity of reinforced concrete structures, especially the reactor containment. The containment is the last safety barrier and must maintain its structural integrity under the most extreme design-basis accidents and external impacts, including strong earthquakes, impact loads (for example, the fall of a large object or an aircraft impact) and internal pressure arising from the melting of the active zone.¹

In these critically important zones, the use of mechanical couplers for reinforcing bars has become not just a matter of convenience, but a strictly regulated technical requirement. The traditional lap splice (lap joint) of reinforcing bars has significant drawbacks: it creates a high concentration of reinforcement, which complicates concrete placing and vibration, and also depends on the quality and bond of the concrete to transfer the load.³