Collapse Mechanism of Reinforced Concrete Superlarge Cooling Towers Subjected to Strong Winds

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical simulation on the collapse behavior and structural stability of a reinforced concrete superlarge cooling tower subjected to strong winds. Results demonstrated that the cooling tower locally collapsed inward because of a loss of material strength rather than loss of stability. The critical wind pressure corresponding to material failure was far less than that corresponding to buckling, according to elastic stability analysis. Finally, a parametric analysis was conducted to investigate the influence of design parameters on the wind-resistant performance of the tower, including the thickness of the shell structure as well as the concrete cover, reinforcement space of the shell structure, and reinforcement ratio of the shell structure. The research presented in this paper can help to clarify the collapse mechanism of superlarge cooling towers and contribute to the improved design of future towers.