Abstract
This paper investigates the seismic performance of a high-rise molten-salt solar tower by finite element modelling. The integrated and separated models for solar tower based on the concrete damage plastic model are validated by matching the behaviour of similar reinforced concrete chimney specimens. The modal analysis demonstrates the first four modes of the solar tower are translational vibration. Seismic simulations are developed through the incremental dynamic analysis. The most disadvantageous position of the tower is all concentrated in the opening section under multidirectional seismic excitations. The top displacement of the tower under bidirectional and three-directional earthquake actions is larger than that under unidirectional earthquake actions. The results of the seismic vulnerability assessment show that when the PGA equals to 0.035g, the tower will be intact; when the PGA equals to 0.1g (design peak ground acceleration), the probability of the moderate damage state is within 1.5%; when the PGA equals to 0.22g (maximum considered earthquake), the probability of the destruction state is below 0.7%. The seismic partitioned fragility analysis of the tower under multidirectional earthquake excitations illustrates that there are two peaks in the vulnerability surfaces. The anti-collapse analysis indicates the tower has a good seismic performance under multidirectional seismic excitations.
Highlights
Solar power is the fastest-growing source of renewable energy
The results show that when the strain of the concrete reaches the limit state, the reinforcement has not yet reached the corresponding limit state
When the peak ground acceleration (PGA) equals to 0.10g, the exceedance probability of LS2 under multidirectional earthquakes is within 1.5%, which implies the tower has a small probability of moderate damage
Summary
Solar power is the fastest-growing source of renewable energy. A large number of molten-salt power tower plants have been built in recent years [1]. Many researchers have carried out the seismic performance research of the high-rising structures with reinforced concrete shell. Huang et al performed a pushover analysis of a collapsed reinforced concrete chimney to find a cause of the failure [10]. Zhou et al conducted a seismic partitioned fragility analysis of a 240-m-high reinforced concrete chimney [11]. Deng et al investigated the seismic effects of a solar receiver installed on concrete towers with different fundamental periods [12]. Preciado conducted the failure modes simulation and seismic vulnerability analysis of European ancient masonry towers based on nonlinear static pushover analyses [15]. The Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) of the solar tower under multidirectional earthquake actions is conducted [16,17], and the seismic vulnerability analysis and partitioned fragility analysis of the tower are carried out to obtain the curves and surfaces of failure probability [18]
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