ICIMPACT-2014

Paper Presentation on
SEISMIC AND WIND LOAD ANALYSIS OF DIESEL
GENERATOR (DG) EXHAUST CHIMNEY

Presented By
Lalit Patoda
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre(BARC), Visakhapatnam
Authors:
Lalit, Scientific Officer(C), 2Venkata Ratnam M., Scientific Officer(H)
Engineering Service Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Visakhapatnam, India
1Patoda

Introduction
Seismic design and analysis are related to structural design and
the calculation of the response of a structure to earthquakes.
It is part of the process of structural design, earthquake
engineering and structural assessment in regions where
earthquakes are prevalent.
The design related to wind is also considering here to see the
separate and combined effects of both types of loads seismic
load and wind load.
Any approach requires, that structures passively resist
earthquakes through a combination of strength, deformability,
and energy absorption.

Literature Review
Bruce A. Bolt (2004) had presented Seismic Input Motions for
Nonlinear Structural Analysis. Assessment of the onset and
evolution of nonlinear structural deformations in large bridges,
dams, and other critical structures requires also consideration
of the complementary velocity and displacement input seismic
motions, including their phase response spectra, and directivity
pulses.
The design criteria for the air intake and outlet are considered
as per ASHRAE, Chapter 43, Building Air Intake and
Exhaust Design.
P. Bisch, (2011), et al, EC-8 applies to the design of buildings
and structural engineering works in seismic regions and is
subdivided into 10 sections:

 Section1-2 contains the basic performance requirements and

compliance criteria applicable to buildings and structural
engineering works in seismic regions. Section-3 gives the rules
for the representation of seismic actions and for their
combination with other actions. Section-4 contains general
design rules relevant specifically to buildings.
Sections 5-9 contain specific rules for various structural
materials and elements, relevant specifically to buildings
(concrete, steel, composite steel-concrete, timber and masonry
buildings).
Section-10 contains the fundamental requirements and other
relevant aspects of design and safety related to base isolation
of structures and specifically to base isolation of buildings.

 In IS: 875, (1998) Part 3 wind loads, Code of practice for

design load details for the design parameters and loading
calculations, specifically mentioned for wind load only.
Olek C Zienkiewicz, et al (2013) tells about The Finite
Element Method for Solid and Structural Mechanics.
Saatcioglu Murat et al (2003) proposed the National Building
Code of Canada specifies dynamic analysis as the preferred
method for computing seismic design forces and deflections.
Dynamic analysis procedures are categorized as either linear
(elastic) dynamic analysis, consisting of the elastic modal
response spectrum method or the numerical integration linear
time history method, or nonlinear (inelastic) response history
analysis.

Parameters and Materials

Exhaust Chimney and Support Structure details parameters are as
follows:
Total height of the chimney = 17000 mm,
Grounded height of chimney = 1500 mm,
Exhaust pipe nominal bore = 200 mm,
Channel dimensions:
International Standard on Auditing (ISA) - (100*100*8),
(75*75*8) and (65*65*6),
Number of elements = 14179,
Number of nodes = 23191,
Number of nodes defined by the user = 23191,
And in analysis tetrahedral elements are used.

Seismic Details: Response spectrum at Visakhapatnam for the

seismic analysis is as follows; (This is input for Seismic Analysis
generated from TECDOC)

Figure 1: Response Spectra

Table 1: Material and Mechanical Properties
Material

Density
(Kg/m3)

Mild Steel

7900

Allowable
Poisson Youngs Ultimate Tensile
Yield
Stress
s Ratio Modulus Strength U.T.S.
strength
(MPa)
f (MPa)
E (GPa)
Y.S.(MPa)
410
150
0.3
210
250

The schematic diagram and model picture 500 kVA diesel

generator(DG): Exhaust chimney with detail dimensions is
shown as below:

Model of Exhaust chimney

Figure 2

Methodology
The method for the analysis is as follow:
Design and model the part wise structure.
Assign of material and sections to the parts.
Selection of surfaces & the points for analysis.
Assembling of the parts.
Define interaction & contact properties and assignments of
these.
Seeding & meshing of the structure.
Defining of steps, the steps are static analysis and dynamic
analysis (frequency and response analysis) for complete
analysis.
Assignment of boundary conditions and defining load case at
respective points or surfaces.
Submit the model for analysis and analyze the results.

Calculations:
Design Wind Speed; Vz = Vb*k1*k2*k3
Design Wind Pressure; P = Fp*0.6*(Vz)2

(1)
(2)

Where,
Vz = Design wind speed at any height z in m/s
Vb = The basic wind speed
P = Pressure due to wind blow
Fp= Shape factor/Pressure factor

k1(Probability factor-0.82-1.08), k2(Structure size factor-0.67-1.40),

k3(Topography factor-1.00-1.36) and k1, k2& k3 depends on the seismic
category, seismic zone, wind speed, height, structural shape etc.

Results and Discussions

The results of Seismic and wind load on the structure with the
help of finite element analysis summarized, critical values of
stress & deflection due to seismic loading and wind loading for
DG exhaust chimney as below:
Table 2: Stress and Deflection Values

Seismic Loading
Conditions
Wind Loading
Conditions

Deflection(mm)

Stress(MPa)

20.3

70.3

79.1

80.2

82

Wind Loading

Stress(MPa)

80
78
76
74
72
70
68

Seismic Loading

66
64
20.3

79.1

Deflection(mm)
Figure3: Stress Vs Deflection fro Seismic and Wind Loading

Maximum limit of deflection for cantilever beam as per

IS-875 = {2length of beam/325 = 104 mm]

Figure 4: Deflected and stressed picture of exhaust Chimney

Figure 4 shows deflection and the stress value

variation in the form of colour variation from blue colour
to red colour, blue colour shows minimum value and red
colour shows the maximum value of the parameters in the
picture.

Conclusions
The design of large structure for seismic load and wind load is
critical because of earthquake and wind, both being natural
phenomenon and probabilistic in nature.
To consider this in design FEA analysis of the exhaust chimney is
performed considering frequency response spectra for seismic design
and wind velocity for wind design.

In the analysis performed, stress and deflection in case of wind

load are more compared to seismic load (as shown in table 2)
because of input response spectra in which maximum
amplitude is 0.48(as shown in figure 1) and the maximum
mass participation depends on the mode number corresponds
to structure frequency.
Hence, in general for long chimney the governing criteria will be wind
load.

 FEA analysis results shows that stress is maximum at the

connection of the exhaust chimney with ground.
For design/strength point of view critical section for design is
connection section of chimney with ground and deflection in the
structure maximum at top of exhaust chimney (as shown in figure 4)

References
ASHRAE, Chapter 43, (1999), Building Air Intake and Exhaust Design,
ASHRAE Applications Handbook American Society of Heating, Refrig. and
Air-Cond. Eng., Inc., Atlanta.
Bolt B. A., (2004), Seismic Input Motions for Nonlinear Structural
Analysis, ISET Journal of Earthquake Technology, Paper No. 448, Vol. 41,
No. 2-4.
Bhavikatti S. S, (2005), Finite Element Analysis, New Age International.
IS: 875, Part 3, (1998), wind loads, Code of practice for design loads (other
than earthquake) for buildings and structures, Part 3 wind loads (Second
Revision), UDC 624-042-41.
P. Bisch, (2011), Seismic Design of Buildings: Support to the
implementation, harmonization and further development of the Eurocodes,
EC 8: Seismic Design of Buildings, Lisbon, 10-11 Feb. 2011.
Saatcioglu Murat, ( 2003), Dynamic analysis of buildings for earthquake
resistant design, Can. J. Civ. Eng. 30: 338359.
Zienkiewicz O. C, (Nov 7, 2013). The Finite Element Method for Solid and
Structural Mechanics, Seventh Edition.

THANK YOU