Critical assessment of Eurocode approach to stability of metal cylindrical silos with corrugated walls and vertical stiffeners

• Stability results of steel cylindrical silos composed of corrugated walls are shown.
• Three-dimensional FE analyses were carried out with a linear buckling approach.
• The FE results were compared with the Eurocode approach.
• The improvement of the standard formulae was proposed.

The paper deals with stability of steel cylindrical silos composed of corrugated walls and vertical open-sectional stringers. Comprehensive three-dimensional finite element analyses were carried out with perfect slender, semi-slender and squat silos by means of a linear buckling approach. Corrugated walls were simulated as an equivalent orthotropic shell and vertical open-sectional stringers as beam elements. The FE results were compared with the Eurocode approach. In addition, comprehensive FE computations for axially compressed cylindrical shells composed of an orthotropic shell and stringers were carried out. An improvement of standard formulae was proposed.

Critical assessment of Eurocode approach to stability of metal cylindrical silos with corrugated walls and vertical stiffeners.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide