Post Buckling Strength of Single Layer Domes under Distributed Loading

Extensive research on the post-buckling and ultimate collapse behaviour of steel reticulated domes have been conducted in preceding years. Such analyses have largely adopted simplified crown loading, while ignoring distributed loading conditions such as from wind pressure. Therefore, the focus of this study is to predict the critical loads of single layer domes under realistic conditions of distributed loading. In this study, a geometric and material nonlinear methodology is used for performing large deflection analysis of domes to study the inelastic post buckling behavior by employing an Updated Lagrangian (UL) formulation. The research is limited to single layer spherical domes of two different topologies. From the results of the nonlinear analysis, the response of the structure is evaluated through quantities such as load-displacement response at crown and other salient nodes of the dome and member forces in different conditions. The deformed shapes from the buckling of such domes, plotted using commercial software, have also been provided in the study in order to identify behavioural changes due to different distributed loading. The member buckling (instabilities) which trigger the limit point buckling and the ultimate failure have also been identified. Empirical equations to predict the critical loads and crown displacements have also been attempted. Finally, conclusions on the effect of the realistic distributed loading are provided with respect to the behavioral aspects as well as aspects related to member selection and design of the domes.

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