Seismic Considerations in the Design of Columns for Large Cooling Towers

• Autores: Michael Angelides
• Localización: Journal of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures, ISSN-e 1996-9015, ISSN 1028-365X, Vol. 57, Nº. 1, 2016 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Special Issue on Cooling Towers), págs. 67-74
• Idioma: inglés
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen

  • The columns and their connections to the shell and the foundation constitute the weak and determining link in the design of hyperboloid reinforced concrete cooling tower shells. The present work addresses different column configurations used in practice, such as "V", "X" and meridional column arrangements and investigates their influence on seismic response. In view of the limited coverage of the particular geometry of cooling towers in international design codes, emphasis is put on practical issues encountered during actual design for moderate to high earthquake excitations. Finally, the issue of seismic retrofit of existing cooling towers is also briefly discussed, with particular emphasis on the rehabilitation and strengthening of the shell supporting columns.