Influence of soil flexibility on the seismic behaviour of chimneys

Abstract

Various methodologies and modelling criteria for analysing seismically reinforced concrete chimneys are now available. All require consideration of the soil-structure interaction (SSI) effects especially in designing tall chimneys. This becomes more critical when the soil deposit, on which the chimney is founded, is softer. Two examples are considered in this paper: a chimney of moderate height (110 meters) founded directly on a sedimentary rock layered half-space and another very tall chimney (230 meters), founded by means of short prefabricated piles on a deep, very soft, sand deposit. The method of analysis used is a conventional response spectrum modal analysis of a chimney lumped mass model, which includes shear deformation of the chimney shaft. To ignore this effect can lead to an underestimation of the shear force at chimney base level. The suggestions of the specification ACI STANDARD 307-88 are also considered. Different hypotheses to account for the SSI effects are assumed in the analyses which provide a set of conclusions of interest to the point of view of the designer.