Cylindrical thin-walled concrete structures under lateral loading

Abstract

Thin-walled reinforced concrete structures are widely used for water tanks, silos and hydro-power generator buildings. Twenty-two model specimens were tested and then analysed using non-linear finite-element analysis. After reasonable validation with the experimental test results of companion specimens, the analysis was expanded to provide a parametric study correlating the ultimate strength behaviour of modelled specimens to the height-to-diameter ratio and steel reinforcement percentage. Good agreement was observed between the experimental and analysis results. The specimens were analysed to determine the effect of changing the height-to-diameter ratio and the percentage of steel reinforcement and the absence or presence of an opening. The investigation revealed that a reduction in the height-to-diameter ratio and the reinforcement ratio reduced the ultimate moment capacity, ductility, and shear and flexural crack development and also increased the ultimate shear capacity. The formation and propagation of cracks for specimens with and without openings are also explained.