The European GO-VIKING Project on Flow-Induced Vibrations

The interaction between cooling fluid and solid structures (rods, tubes) in nuclear power plants may lead to flow-induced vibrations (FIV), causing material fatigue, fretting wear, and eventually loss of component integrity. This can lead to further safety issues as well as substantial standstill costs due to longer or unplanned outages. With the growing computational power, the application of modern 3D numerical simulation tools for the accurate prediction of FIV phenomena is rapidly increasing. In 2022, the GO-VIKING (Gathering expertise On Vibration ImpaKt In Nuclear power Generation) project received a grant within the Horizon Europe research and innovation funding program. Sixteen European and two US partners collaborate in the field of FIV analysis. Over four years, the GO-VIKING project investigates FIV phenomena occurring in nuclear reactor cores and steam generators under single- and two-phase flow conditions. The project's main objectives are to expand the expertise in the field of FIV through generation of new experimental data; development, improvement, and validation of FSI methods for FIV evaluation; training stakeholders in the application of these methods; and synthesizing guidelines for the prediction and assessment of FIV phenomena in nuclear reactors. This paper provides an overview of the GO-VIKING objectives, scientific program and the expected outcomes.