NEHRP Clearinghouse
- Title
- Theoretical Study of the Earthquake Response of the Paradise Cooling Tower.
- File
- PB274816.pdf
- Author(s)
- Yang, T. Y.; Gran, C. S.; Bogdanoff, J. L.
- Source
- National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C. Research Applied to National Needs., June 3, 1976, 81 p.
- Abstract
- A detailed dynamic analysis, presented in a series of reports, was conducted on the seismic response and structural safety of key subsystems (steam generator, high pressure steam piping, coal handling equipment, cooling tower, chimney) of Unit no. 3 of TVA at Paradise, Kentucky in order to: (1) determine for the key components the natural frequencies below 50 Hz and the corresponding normal modes; (2) determine response of plant to seismic disturbances; (3) verify through full scale tests results obtained in (1) and determine estimates of damping needed in (2); (4) determine potential failure modes of major structural components; and (5) determine a spare parts policy for a power system so that outages due to damage from seismic disturbances are minimal. Analytical and experimental methods are used. In this study, the dynamic behavior of the cooling tower is analyzed, using quadrilateral plate and beam elements oriented arbitrarily in space, following analysis and confirmation of their predictive value. Response to 1940 El Centro earthquake parameters is studied, and assumed viscous damping coefficients are considered. Comprehensive results, based on this response, are given.
- Keywords
- Earthquake resistant structures; Stress concentration; Cooling towers; Seismic waves; Earth movements; Finite element analysis; Ground motion; Earthquake engineering; Kentucky; Thermal power plants; Paradise (Kentucky); Earthquakes; Dynamic structural analysis