Hyperbolic Cooling Towers under Wind Load

A wind load analysis of hyperbolic cooling towers based on membrane theory is presented. The solutions of the governing differential equations for the first two harmonics, n = 0 and n = 1, are obtained by quadrature, while the solutions for the higher harmonics, n > 1, are obtained by means of an approximate integration technique. The stress resultants and displacements are derived in closed form. The stress resultants and displacements due to an experimentally determined wind load are compared to those caused by a simplified wind load. The maximum values of the stress resultants and displacements are tabulated against a wide range of shell parameters to facilitate the design of such structures.