Cone Penetration Testing at Chernobyl
November 16th, 2013The Chernobyl disaster was a catastrophic nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine and is widely considered to have been the worst nuclear power plant accident in history.
The Novarka joint venture - formed by the construction companies Vinci Construction Grands Projets and Bouygues Travaux Publics - was assigned to build a sarcophagus over the heavily damaged reactor. A project estimated to cost EUR 1.54 billion.
Dutch company Lankelma-Zuid was contacted to carry out the Cone Penetration Test on the Chernobyl site. For that purpose they have sent over a 200 kN CPT truck, which is destined to stay at that jobsite forever since it has been subjected to high levels of radioactive radiation. The Cone Penetration Tests were carried out in 2009 by operators Alrik Koolsbergen and Tommy Verbakel.
Lankelma-Zuid is still involved in this project by providing engineering support. The construction of the new sarcophagus is well on its way and due to be ready by 2015.