3D buckling analysis of a cylindrical metal bin composed of corrugated sheets strengthened by vertical stiffeners

Stability of cylindrical steel silos composed of corrugated sheets and columns based on FE analyses versus Eurocode 3 approach

“…This factor was always the smallest in the silo [18] for w=50-100 mm and the highest in the silo [17] for w=50 mm and in the silo of Fig.1 for w=100 mm. The maximum load factor increased with increasing corrugation depth by 20% for In turn, the silo buckling strength calculated by the alternative approach in Eurocode 3 [20] (Eqs.3 and 4) was almost equal to the limit load for a perfect silo using GNA (λ=3.1) for the silo of Fig.1.…”

“…The buckling strength by Eqs.3 and 4 was λ=4.61 for the silo in [17] and λ=0.63 for the silo in [18].…”

“…The proposed formula is also on the safe side for the silos described in [17] and [18]. For the silo [17], the limit load factor by FEM was higher by 25% and for the silo in [18], the limit load by FEM was higher by 200% than the Eqs.3 and 4 with d s >d s,max ). The latter results indicate that Eqs.3 and 4 are sometimes also too conservative (thus they also require the improvement due to the presence of the bulk solid).…”

“…The choice of the mesh refinement, element type, time increment and arc-length increment were based on experience of our previous similar stability calculations for silos [17]- [19], [28]. The calculated results on the stability of the silos were compared with the recommendations given by Eurocode 3 [20].…”

“…The columns were modelled by elements of the size 14.9×32 mm 2 (550 elements were taken along the silo height) (Fig.3b). The choice of the element type and mesh refinement were based on own experiences from similar static analyses for a silo with corrugated walls [17]- [19]. Along the top, radial and circumferential displacements were…”