Predicting the behaviour of storage cells in early Condeep structures

Abstract

RASP, also now called VecTor6, is a nonlinear finite element program for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures that uses 3-dimensional stress–strain relation of cracked concrete based on the modified compression field theory. RASP was used to predict the behavior of a 3-dimensional 1:13 scale model of a typical upper dome-cell wall junction of a storage cell in an early Condeep structure. It predicted a flexure-shear failure at the top of the cell wall when it was subjected to a pressure differential equivalent to 129–134 m head of water. Yet, there was deviation between the theoretical and the observed response of the model since the analysis ignored the detrimental effect of water pressure in the cracks. Before applying the results of the pressure test on the scale model to the prototype structure the size effect in shear was examined. It was concluded that because the failure was triggered by flexural yielding the size effect in shear was not significant for this case.