Analysis and Design of Hyperbolic Cooling Towers

The analysis and design of a given hyperbolic cooling tower for a nuclear power plant are reviewed. Analysis is performed using available computer programs. Various loading conditions on the tower such as wind, earthquake, thermal, and self-weight, are considered and their effects are combined and compared. A number of wind-load distributions, used in Britain, Belgium, and the US, are taken for the analysis; and the corresponding results are compared. The effects of various conditions of base restraint on the results are also studied. The design of the reinforcement for the shell is given with details of the actual reinforcement layout. It was concluded that wind loading is the governing design condition for the hyperbolic towers. Also, it is suggested that ultimate design methods be used with adequate load and capacity-reduction factors. To prevent widespread cracking of the concrete, the design should call for reinforcement bars placed in double layers in both faces of the shell.