Overturning Stability Criteria for Flexible Structures to Earthquakes

Abstract

Criteria for overturning stability of flexible structures such as chimneys and towers are developed. To the authors’ knowledge all published studies arrive at overturning stability conclusions and criteria based on rigid body motion of systems. This is the first attempt to develop a simple design criterion that includes flexibility effects of slender structures to their overturning stability. The development is based on expressing the system deformation in terms of generalized coordinates. Examples and parametric studies demonstrate use of the criteria as well as the role that each one of the most significant geometric, inertial, and spectral parameters plays on the overturning stability of towers and chimneys. The procedure could also be useful to address the inverse problem that is to estimate the ground acceleration that caused the overturn of a slender structure.