Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Cylindrical Shells

Abstract

The study investigates the behavior of reinforcedconcrete cylindrical shells under monotonically increasingloads. Three-dimensional models of six small-scaleexperimental shells with length-to-radius ratios ranging fromshort (0.84) to long (5.0) are implemented within the context ofthe finite element method, through use of the ANSYScomputer code, and the nonlinear response is tracedthroughout the entire load range up to failure. Crackingoccurs at working load levels, with subsequent reduction inshell stiffness. Increasing loads lead to failure modes varyingfrom a beam failure in long shells, combined longitudinal andtransverse cracking in intermediate length shells, and abruptdiagonal with limited transverse cracking in short shells.Ultimate load capacities range from 5.0 kPa to 60.0 kPaincreasing with decreasing length-to-radius ratios.