Imperfection sensitivity of medium-length silos under wind load

摘要

Medium length thin-walled steel silos under wind load have been shown to fail by forming ripple-like buckles in the upper half of the silo on the side facing the wind. This most peculiar buckling behaviour has been explained as a combination of two different bifurcation mechanisms. This paper investigates the imperfection sensitivity of this complicated buckling pattern. Two different imperfection types and various amplitudes are included in this study and their influence on the buckling of such silos is evaluated.