NONLINEARITY OF R/C SHELLS.

Abstract

Reinforced concrete slender shells exhibit a pronounced nonlinear behavior, both geometrical and physical, near the stability and strength limits. There is a strong interaction between these two types of failure depending on the material law assumed for reinforced concrete. The tangent stiffness under compression is decisive for buckling which may be of either bifurcation or limit point type, whereas tensile strength and to some extent tension-stiffening are the governing factors with respect to the strength of a reinforced concrete shell. The effects of these phenomena are demonstrated on cooling tower shells having negative, positive and zero Gaussian curvature.