The effect of initial imperfections on linear axial buckling behavior of steel spiral-fold silos

Steel cylindrical silos are among the most optimal structures for bulk material storage. In the design of these structures, two critical aspects demand meticulous attention: their axial buckling behavior and the effect of initial imperfections on the shell's overall buckling resistance. These imperfections, which are inevitably introduced during the fabrication process, even when seemingly minor, can significantly reduce the load-bearing capacity of the silo. Steel silos are constructed in various forms, such as flat sheet, corrugated sheet, and spiral silos. Spiral silos, constructed from folded steel sheets by the LIPP Double-Seam-System method, are one type of steel silo being constructed today. Despite their widespread use, there is a lack of research on the effect of initial imperfections on the axial buckling behavior of this silo type. This paper aims to investigate the influence of initial imperfections, as specified in the Eurocode, on the linear axial buckling behavior of these shell structures by performing Linear Bifurcation Analysis (LBA).

Keywords:

Steel spiral-fold silos , Axial buckling , Initial imperfection , Linear Bifurcation Analysis , ABAQUS