Chapter 23 - Plastic Buckling of Transition Ringbeams in Steel Silos and Tanks

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to examine the effects of various factors on the plastic buckling behavior and strength of this ringbeam, and to develop a simple plastic buckling strength approximation. A ring is generally provided at the transition junction. This ring is a main structural member and is often referred to as a ringbeam. A common form of ringbeams is an annular plate. The structural form of elevated liquid storage tanks is similar to that of the steel silos, so the work described in the chapter is relevant to their design as well. The ringbeam at the transition junction of a uniformly-supported steel silo is subject to a large circumferential compressive force which is derived from the radial component of the meridional tension in the conical hopper. Under this compressive force, the ringbeam may fail by axisynmmetric plastic collapse when it is stocky, by elastic buckling when it is slender and by plastic buckling when it is of intermediate slendemess.