Lecturer: Roberto Nascimbene  

Course name: Design of shell structures
Course code: 503254
Degree course: Ingegneria Civile, Ingegneria per l'Ambiente e il Territorio
Disciplinary field of science: ICAR/09
L'insegnamento è caratterizzante per: Ingegneria Civile, Ingegneria per l'Ambiente e il Territorio
University credits: CFU 6
Course website: n.d.

Specific course objectives

The course aims to introduce the students to the design of shell structures (concrete, prestressed and steel): two-dimensional plates, tanks, silos, dome and ring beam using the following codes: UNI EN 1992-1-1:2004 (E) Design of concrete structures - Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings; IS-3370; DIN; ACI (American Concrete Institute) (2004), Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-05) and Commentary (ACI 318R-05).

Course programme

The course will focus on: behaviour and design of plates, circular and rectangular plates made of concrete, steel and postensioned; rectangular concrete tanks and circular steel silos; connection between plate, vertical wall, ring beam and dome; behaviour and design of folded plates and cylindrical roof structures; membrane and flexural behaviour of axisimmetrical shells; basic introdution of seismic design of tanks; convective, impulsive behaviour. Main codes used: UNI EN 1992-1-1:2004 (E) Design of concrete structures - Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings; UNI EN 1992-3:2006 Design of Concrete Structures. Part 3: Liquid retaining and containment structures; ACI (American Concrete Institute) (2004), Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-05) and Commentary (ACI 318R-05); ACI (American Concrete Institute), Concrete Shell Structures Practice and Commentary, (ACI 334.1R-92).

• ordinary reinforcement evaluation: mono and bi-directional plates
• rectangular tanks
• wall to wall and wall to base plate connections

Cylindrical tanks

• historical perspective
• membrane solution: stresses and displacements (axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric loads)
• bending solution: elastic coefficient method
• dome and foundation effects
• precast ring
• ordinary reinforcement evaluation

Roofs

• spherical, elliptical and conical domes
• cylindrical roof (vault structure)
• hyperbolic and elliptic paraboloid
• folded plates roof
• historical perspective, code requirements and basic of design

Seismic actions

• convective and impulsive pressure on tanks
• seismic effects on dome roofs

Course entry requirements

Basic concepts of calculus, geometry and physics. Structural analysis techniques. Construction material properties (steel and concrete). Operational and ultimate behavior of elements and sections realized with concrete and steel under shear, torsion and axial – bending interaction. Basic concepts of structural dynamics.

Course structure and teaching

Lectures (hours/year in lecture theatre): 30
Practical class (hours/year in lecture theatre): 30
Practicals / Workshops (hours/year in lecture theatre): 0

Suggested reading materials

G.M. Calvi, R. Nascimbene. Progettare i Gusci. IUSSPRESS (ISBN: 978-88-6198-061-7). http://www.iusspress.it/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=7&idproduct=138.

Testing and exams

The final grade will be based on three parameters, with almost equivalent weight: (1) one or more projects that the students will develop during the semester, (2) one final written exam and (3) a final oral exam.