Nonlinear analysis of a RC cooling tower with geoemtrical imperfections and a technological cut-out

摘要

The analysis of nonlinear deformation and ultimate load should be a vital element of the checking-design of cooling towers. This issue is discussed in the paper with respect to an existing cooling tower with large geometrical imperfectiosn and a cut-out made for gas discharge. A brief theoretical background is given, with special attention paid to the finite element model and constitutive relatiosn for reinforced oncrete. The numerical analysis deals with three cases: (1) perfect hyperbolid shell of revolution, (2) actual shell with measured geometrical imperfections of the shell mid-surface, (3) imperfect shell with a cut-out. Two types of nonlinearities are considered: (a) materal nonlinearity only, (b) material and geometrical nonlinearities.