Engineering study, development and prototype fabrication of the supporting system for the CLIC Two-Beam Module

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is based on the international collaboration in the field of high-energy particle physics research. The experiments carried out in its facilities are achieved through the existing particle accelerators. In addition, advanced accelerator research and development is one of the goals of CERN. For this reason, CLIC (the Compact LInear Collider) a new electron-positron linear accelerator is being studied at CERN. CLIC is built by the assembly of the Two-Beam Modules and takes advantage of an innovative acceleration principle, the Two-Beam acceleration. Each Module contains several technical systems that contribute to its successful operation. This thesis presents the development of the prototype supporting system for the CLIC Two-Beam Module. At first, the physics requirements are translated into technical specifications and the fundamental parts of the supporting system are defined. The CLIC operational conditions are identified and the corresponding boundaries are applied on the design of the supporting system. A thorough study was conducted and presents the materials and configurations that were simulated and analysed to arrive to the choice of the baseline and alternative solutions for the supporting system. A prototype fabrication is designed and realized based on the industrial manufacturing possibilities. At that point the innovative production is divided into fabrication cases according to the uniqueness of each case. Afterwards an analytical description of the conducted qualification controls follows for the first delivered prototypes. The constructed supporting systems were positively validated and installed. Based on these results, an extended experimental phase was launched. The materials of these first prototypes were irradiated with equivalent doses that simulated the future radiation background of CLIC. Mechanical tests for the behaviour of the structural materials took place, simulating the future operational conditions (static loading, etc.) of the supporting system. Their results were analysed and discussed both for irradiated and reference specimens. The conclusions summarize the results of the study. Simulation and experimental results are cross-checked and compared. The thesis goes through all the steps of the prototype fabrication for the Module supporting system. Emphasis is given on the investigation of the critical points and the answers provided along the progress of the study.