Experimental validation of a numerical model for locally supported steel silos

Generally, the decisive design state of locally supported axially compressed steel silos is buckling. To predict the elasto-plastic buckling load with sufficient accuracy, it is recommended to replace conservative hand calculations by computer simulations. In this way, the buckling load can be predicted based on the actual stress distribution and stress concentrations in the shell wall taking into account the effect of imperfections. The latter is of particular importance, since thin-walled shells are extremely prone to small deviations relative to the perfect shell wall. However, to regard the numerical results as sufficiently accurate and reliable, a validated numerical model is required. In this paper, the validation of a shell based FEM model of locally supported steel silos is done by comparing experimental to numerical results. For this, a total of seven experiments were performed on scale models. In these, two configuration types of locally supported steel silos were considered with engaged columns and partial-height U-shaped longitudinal stiffeners, respectively. Geometrically and materially non-linear shell behaviour was used for the numerical simulations, taking into account the measurement of the initial imperfections as measured prior to the experiments and the real stress-strain relationship. A good correspondence is shown between the experimental and numerical results, proving that the numerical model is suitable for the simulation of the failure behaviour of locally supported stiffened steel barrels.

ISBN:9789053630426

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