A Model for the Post-Buckling of Thin-Walled Silos and Tanks under Axial Load

Abstract

Steel silos and tanks are constructed from plates which are rolled to the correct curvature and welded together to form strakes. Several strakes of curved plates, placed on top of each other then form the completed structure. At each circumferential weld, a slight hourglass depression occurs essentially forming axisymmetric imperfections which are known to be most deleterious. The detrimental influence of this particular type of imperfection on the buckling of axially compressed cylindrical shells such as silos and tanks is well known. Axial compression onto silos or tanks is commonly generated by roof structures, snow loads or, in the case of silos, by friction forces generated by the content. However, very little is known about the post-buckling of thin-walled cylinders with a circumferential weld imperfection. A post-buckling load bearing model was developed and the influence of weld imperfection amplitude, weld-induced residual stress-fields, different boundary-conditions and elastic–plastic material behaviour was studied. Different modelling techniques, taking into account various symmetries of the problem, are also discussed.

Keywords

thin-walled cylinder shell structure axial load post-buckling behaviour FE-modelling

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