DETERMINATION OF MEMBRANE STRESS RESULTANTS FOR A HEMISPHERICAL

SHELL UNDER OWN WEIGHT

Finite element method project

GOAL OF THE PROJECT

The goal of this project was to

obtain the membrane stress
resultants of a hemispherical shell
under vertical load (own weight).
The two stresses are:
the circumferential hoop stress -n
the meridional stress -n
The shell has the following
geometry:
Span:
25000 mm
Radius of curvature: 12500 mm
Thickness:
20
mm
R/t
625
Material used: Steel
Software used: Abaqus 6.13-1

Geometry: Part module

The three-dimensional shell

model consists of curved shell
elements. The model is
generated by constructing
several meridional and
circumferential ribs which
enclose rectangular and
triangular surface areas

Material: Property Module

Analysis

Step module:
Static analysis

Load and boundary conditions

Load considered:
Self weight

Boundary
conditions:
Continous fixed
support at the
base

Meshing

Element type: membrane

4 node quadrilateral
elements, reduced integration
points, M3D4R

The top part

was meshed
separately
using the
sweep
technique

Results

FEM vs. Theory

Theory results
Top (=00)

Base
(=900)

-0.5 N/mm2

-1.0 N/mm2

-0.5 N/mm2

+1.0N/mm2

FEM results
Top (=00)

Base
(=900)

-0.496 N/mm2

-0.961
N/mm2

-0.496 N/mm2

+0.900
N/mm2

The meridional stress resultants are

compression stresses.
The circumferential stresses, however, change
from compression to tension.

Conclusion
The stresses at the top of the dome, obtained with FEM, are very close to the ones obtained with
theory.
However, at the stresses at the base of the dome, some discrepancies are observed.