Can the tower be retained

Abstract

This paper focuses on the analysis of two towers of an industrial plant exhibiting extreme deflection during service loads under heavy wind conditions. The towers are 90 m and 35 m in height, respectively and are interconnected with structural steel operating platforms.

The nuts have flown off at some bolted joints in the interconnecting steel structure due to high stress induced by deflections.

The deflections measured at the structural steel towers had nearly twice the value permitted by the respective standard in the case of the 90 m high tower and approached the value permitted by the standard in the case of the 35 m high tower.

The herein detailed complex study - covering the strength analysis of the towers, the analysis of wind effects, and the review of the foundations - has been elaborated in order to determine the causes and consequences of the experienced deflections at the plant as well as to conclude the eventual actions to be taken.

The primary consideration for the conduction of the tests and analyses the determination of the eventual actions to be taken was to retain the towers and not to have them demolished.