Deformation Behavior of Reinforced Shells Under the Action of Wind: An Experimental Study

The trends of increasing the cost-effectiveness and reliability of structures come into conflict and require the search for new approaches to design. Steel vertical cylindrical tanks, the use of which is constantly growing, are no exception. This study addresses the issue of buckling of a cylindrical tank wall due to the action of wind and vacuum loads. The purpose of the study was to conduct experimental verification of design solutions for improving the stability of the walls of vertical cylindrical tanks. Methods: Based on the previously performed numerical studies, a two-stage experimental procedure was developed to test the applicability of the reinforcement designs. Stage I includes the investigation of the shell behavior under the action of vacuum. Stage II considers different tank model designs under the action of actual wind load. The height of the stiffening rings and the angle of the stairs served as variable parameters. Results: An increase in the critical buckling load of up to 7 % in case of vacuum action and 27 % in case of wind action was established in the presence of stairs with the recommended parameters. The effect of an increase in stability due to the presence of stairs was noted only when they were oriented in the direction of maximum compressive wind action. In this case, stairs of sufficient stiffness reduce the risk of total structural failure from wind and vacuum, regardless of ist location. Reinforcement with stiffening rings should be considered a more preferable method. The study results in the experimental confirmation of the effectiveness of the analyzed designs and the adequacy of the numerical models used.