CHAPTER 7: SURFACES OF REVOLUTION

Chapter (7)

SURFACE OF REVOLUTION

7.1INTRODUCTION

Reinforced concrete halls of circular big span areas may be flat and supported on
any convenient system of girders (for example Radial frames). In some cases, the
choice of a reinforced concrete surface of revolution ( a dome or a cone) results in
economic design by optimum saving in materials and cost even when the greater
cost of the shuttering of the surface of revolution is taken into consideration.
In this chapter, the general principles involved in the design of simple popular
forms of surfaces of revolution according to the membrane theory will be
presented. The membrane theory assumed that the thickness of the shell is so small
that it may be considered as a membrane which can resist meridian and ring forces
only, i.e. neglecting the bending moments due to the fixation at supports,
unsymmetrical loading and similar effects.

7.2MEMBRAANE THEORY OF SURFACES OF REVOLUTION

7.2.1 General
A surface of revolution (called also double curvature shell) will be generated when
an arc (meridian) with radius r1, rotates about a vertical axis (axis of rotation). As
shown in Fig. (7.1), all points on the meridian will rotate generating circles with
radius, r, which varies from zero at the top point (at crown) to the maximum value
at the lower circle (at the footing).

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Fig.(7.1): General forms of surfaces of revolution

7.2.2 Internal forces in surface of revolution

According to Fig.(7.1) and Fig.(7.2) it will be assumed that ;

r= radius, normal to axis of rotation of any circular ring at horizontal plan z-z

r1 = radius of curvature of meridian

r2= cross radius of curvature along the normal to axis of rotation

t= thickness of shell

σφ= meridian stress & σθ = ring stress

Nφ= (σφ* t) = resultant meridian force per unit length of circumference

Nθ= (σθ* t) = resultant ring force per unit length of meridian

H= horizontal thrust (horizontal normal force) of shell per unit length of

circumference

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V= vertical thrust (vertical normal force) of shell per unit length of circumference

Wφ = sum of vertical forces (loads) above z-z level (expressed through the angle φ)

Pr = component of action loads normal to the surface

In order to have equilibrium at any horizontal section z-z, a strip in the meridian
direction and anther in the ring direction can be taken as shown in Fig.(6.1).
Applying the membrane theory taking into consideration that the internal forces
will be reduced to a normal force in the meridian direction (Nφ = meridian force)
and anther in the ring direction (Nθ= ring force). It can be approved, that these two
forces are related by the following relationship:

, and w= load per square meter of surface.

In order to get the internal forces, we will consider the equilibrium of the surface
part above the z-z level .As shown in Fig.(7.2) the reaction at the footing of this
part will be in the tangential direction (meridian direction) with two components H
(in the horizontal direction) and V (in the vertical direction).

Summation of forces in vertical direction = 0.0

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CHAPTER 7: SURFACES OF REVOLUTION

The downward force, Wφ, which is the total vertical static loads on surface above
the z-z level, is calculated from the following relationship

The value of Nθ can be calculated by substituting for Nφ into Eq. (7.1).

Fig.(7.2): Equilibrium of the surface part above z-z level.

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7.3APPLICATION TO POPULAR REINFORCED CONCRETE SURFSCES

OF REVOLUTION
Two special forms of surface of revolution (conical shell and spherical shell, which
is called Dome) will be considered in this chapter

7.3.1 Spherical Dome

7.3.1.1 General
As shown in Fig.(7.3), the spherical dome is a part of sphere and for that

it should be noted that , the radius of foot ring of the dome ( circular base of dome
) , r , is known first , and as a result , the dome is used to cover a defined circular
area.

Fig.(7.3): Spherical dome.

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The height of the dome, y, is empirically taken as a ratio of the horizontal radius
of the footing circle

The radius of sphere, a, can be related to the dome height, y, by the following
relationship:

The surface area of a spherical dome, Asur, is:

Eq. (5.8) shows that the surface area of a spherical dome is equal to the surface
area of a cylinder having the same radius, a, and height, y.

7.3.1.2 Internal forces in the spherical Dome

Assume that a spherical dome is subjected to uniform load distributed on the
surface (for ex., the dead load g/m2 surface). The dead load g of a dome with
height y, and included in a central angle φ is given by:

The horizontal thrust H is given by;

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CHAPTER 7: SURFACES OF REVOLUTION

The meridian force Nφ can be calculated from the relation:

Substituting in the general equation:

For

Where, g is the dead load per meter square of the surface.

At crown:

From symmetry, the meridian force and the ring force will be equal and
compression, then

At footing of half spherical shell: φ=90 and z=0.0, gives Cosφ=0.0 and H=0.0

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Fig.(7.4) shows the meridian and ring forces in this case,

Internal forces in a dome due to another case of loading can be calculated by the
same way.

Fig.(7.4): Meridian and ring forces in half spherical dome

7.3.2 Conical Shell

7.3.2.1 General
As shown in Fig. (7.5) the conical shell present a cone and for that

It should be noted that , the radius of foot ring of the cone ( circular base of cone ) ,
r , is known first , and as a result , the cone is used to cover a defined circular area
the height of the dome ,y, is empirically taken as :

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Fig.(7.5): Conical Shell

For a conical shell, the length of meridian S and the radius can be
calculated as follows:

The surface area Asur of a conical shell is given by:

The surface area, Asur can be expressed in the form of the cone height, y, and the
surface angle, φ, where:

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CHAPTER 7: SURFACES OF REVOLUTION

( )

7.3.2.2 Internal Forces in the Conical Shell

Assume that the conical shell is subjected to uniform load distributed on the
surface (for ex., the dead load g/m2 surface). The dead load g of a cone with height
y, and included in angle φ is given by:

Substituting in the general Eq. (5.1),

( )

where, is the dead load per meter square of the surface.

To get , substitute into the following relations:

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Internal forces in a conical shell due to another case of loading can be calculated
by the same way.
The membrane forces in some popular forms of shells of revolution under the
effect of different cases of loading are given below:

a- Nφ Compression

b- Nφ Tension

c- Nθ Tension d- Nθ Compression
Fig.(7.6): Empirical determination of type of Nφ and Nθ

It should be noted that, the type of the internal forces (tension or compression) in
cones or domes (meridian and ring forces) can be empirically determined as
follows:

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For Meridian Force :

As shown in Fig. (7.6), it depends on the position of support. If the surface is
supported at the bottom, will be compression (negative sign) and if the surface
is supported at the top, will be tension (positive sign).
For Ring Force :
As shown in Fig. (7.6.c, d), it depends on the surface position. If the surface has
large base at the top, will be tension (positive sign) and if the surface has the
large base at the bottom, will be compression (negative sign).

7.4 EDGE FORCES IN DOMES AND CONES

As mentioned before, the upper zones of domes are subjected to compressive ring
forces, while the lower zones are subjected to tensile ring forces. In case the dome,
or cone, does not end with a vertical tangent, the horizontal thrust H must be
resisted by a tension ring beam as shown in Fig. (7.7). In general, the ring beam
will be supported on short posts and consists of horizontal part to resist the
horizontal thrust H and vertical part to transmit the vertical reaction V.

Fig.(7.7):Horizontal and Vertical parts of Ring beam at the foot ring of domes and
cones

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In conical shells and flat spherical domes, bending moments will be developed due
to the big difference between the high tensile stresses in the foot ring and the
compressive stresses in the adjacent zones of the shell.
The bigger the difference in the strains between the ring and the adjacent zones, the
higher will be the bending moments at the foot ring can be empirically estimated
according to the values given in Fig. (7.8.a).
This bending moment can be avoided if the shape of the meridian is changed in a
convenient manner. This change can be done by a transition curve as shown in
Fig.(7.8.b). This transition curve gives relief to the stresses at the foot ring. In order
to decrease the stresses due to the forces at the foot ring, it is recommended to
increase the thickness of the shell in the region of transition curve.

√
a- B.M. of cones and domes

Fig.(7.8): Edge moments at foot ring of domes and cones

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Example (7.1):
Design a reinforced concrete dome to cover a circular tank of diameter 18m. Use
concrete =250kg/m2 and steel 360/520. The live load is equal to 100kg/m2
Solution:

a- Design of covering Dome:

Note that, the live load p/m2 horizontal and the dead load g/m2 surface. However,
since the live load is relatively small and for simplicity, we can use the total load
w/m2 surface as the summation of the dead load and live load.

Assume the thickness of dome t=12cm at the crown and 15cm at the foot ring and
the covering materials=50kg/m2.

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CHAPTER 7: SURFACES OF REVOLUTION

kg/m2

Internal forces:
At crown:

At foot ring:

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√ √

For ring and meridian directions

b- Design of Ring beam:

Assume the ring beam is supported on 12 posts over the upper edge of the tank as
shown in the figure below.
The horizontal thrust H will be resisted by the horizontal part of the beam and the
vertical reaction V will be resisted by the vertical beam. The two parts of ring
beam will be designed in stage II.

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For steel 360/520

Use 4ɸ16 for each side

Vertical beam: b=25 & t=50cm
Total load w/m = own weight+ V

This beam will be designed as circular beam on 12 supports,

Use 3ɸ16 upper (at posts) and 2ɸ16 lower

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Example (7.2):

Design the reinforced concrete tank shown below. use steel 360/520 and concrete
with =250kg/m2

a- design a covering Cone:

√ √

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Assume the thickness of cone t=10cm at the crown and 15cm at the foot ring and
the covering materials=50kg/m2.

g/m2

Internal forces:
At crown:

At foot ring:

Calculating the maximum compressive stress fc for Nθ

Calculating the edge moment Medge:

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√ √

For ring and meridian directions & for Medge

b- Design of Ring beam:

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Since the cone is supported directly on the conical wall, the ring beam will have
only horizontal part. This ring beam will be designed as Stage I. then,
Assume b=60cm

Assume the horizontal beam dimensions is (60*120)cm

c- Design of Conical Wall of the Tank:

This wall will be designed for its own weight w and the water pressure ( ) at
each section, where

Assume t=60cm,,,, w=0.6*2.5=1.50t/m

The required dimensions a1, a2 and a3 in fig below can be calculated as follows (
r1=9.0m, r2=6.75m, r3=4.50m)

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At section 1:V1=2.28t/m= vertical reaction of the covering cone

At section 2:

( )

( )

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At section 3:

( )

( )

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Calculating of As for ring Force in the conical wall:

d- Design of Floor of Tank:

The floor is assumed to be supported on the wall (shaft) and the connection at
section 3 is considered as fixed. The moment Mr and Mt can be calculated using
Design Aids as shown in the Fig. below.
Assume tf=60cm

Radial moments of the floor slab Mr: at points 4 and 5

Tangential moments of the floor slab Mt: at points 4 and 5

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Calculating As for circular floor of tank:

Design of Sec.4: M=29.11t.m and Nf=-158.4t/m- (St.I)

√ √

Take t=90cm at point 3 (plate edge) with hunch to t=60cm

d=90.0-5.0=85.0cm
Check the tensile strength ft:

Calculating As:
For section 4 and 3

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