Contributions to member stresses due to overall wind-induced behaviors of thin-walled cylindrical shell

The exterior walls of thin-walled cylindrical shells cannot be clearly identified as structural frames or cladding/components according to the current wind loading codes. Wind loading effects on such members depend not only on the overall wind-induced behavior of the cylinder, but also on imposed local wind pressures. In this paper, we identify the contributions of the largest wind loading effects on the overall behaviors of a structure. Fluctuating wind pressures measured from a 1:250 scaled cylinder model were investigated by the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method and used to generalize wind loads for analysis. The finite element model and an equivalent lumped-mass model corresponding to the prototype of the scaled model were built as analysis models. Expanded wind pressures were applied directly to the finite element model to calculate the wind loading effects, focusing on structural member stresses. Dynamic displacements obtained from the lumped-mass model were used to analyze the loading effects due to the overall behavior only. The contributions to the largest loading effects due to overall behaviors were identified and are presented in this paper.

► We expand the fluctuating wind pressures to all nodes in FE model by POD method.
► We examine effect of wall thickness on the largest wind loading effects.
► Displacement responses from lumped mass model are assumed as the overall behavior.
► We examine the contribution to the peak loading effects due to the overall behavior.