FINITE ELEMENT RELIABILITY ANALYSIS OF HYPERBOLIC COOLING TOWERS

A nonlinear stochastic finite element reliability analysis process, based on the First-Order Reliability Method, was carried on the hyperbolic cooling tower under wind loadings.Variabilities of material properties and wind loadings were considered. The geometrical nonlinearity of the structure was also studied in total Lagrangian formulation. The 90m hyperbolic cooling tower of Guangdong province was chosen as an example to be analyzed.