The sensitivity of the nonlinear long-term creep behaviour of shallow concrete domes
to geometric and material imperfections is investigated in this paper. A nonlinear
incremental theoretical model is developed, which accounts for the effects of creep
and shrinkage, considers the aging of the concrete material and the variation of the
internal stresses and geometry in time, and is applicable for different and
nonaxisymmetric imperfection scenarios and loading schemes. The model focuses
only on shallow concrete domes, but the modelling concepts and solution
techniques can be generated for the creep buckling analysis of different types of
thin-walled concrete structures. The field equations are derived using the
variational principles of virtual work and using integral-history-type constitutive
relations that are based on the principle of superposition. A step-by-step
procedure is used for the solution of the governing equations in time, while the
solution of the incremental partial differential equations in space is achieved
by a separation of variables and expansion into truncated Fourier series in
the circumferential direction, along with the use of the multiple shooting
method in the meridional direction. Numerical and parametric studies, which
highlight the capabilities of the model and which provide insight into the
nonlinear long-term behaviour of imperfect shallow concrete domes, are
presented. The results show that the structural behaviour and the critical
time to cause creep buckling are very sensitive to geometric and material
imperfections.
Centre for Infrastructure
Engineering and Safety
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
The University of New South Wales
Sydney, NSW 2052
Australia
Centre for Infrastructure
Engineering and Safety
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
The University of New South Wales
Sydney, NSW 2052
Australia
Centre for Infrastructure
Engineering and Safety
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
The University of New South Wales
Sydney, NSW 2052
Australia