A simplified approach to the analysis of geometrically imperfect cooling tower shells

A simplified method for analysing the elastic stresses in geometrically imperfect cooling tower shells is outlined. The method is based on the replacement of the imperfection by an appropriate additional normal pressure. Illustrations with respect to both axi-symmetric and non axi-symmetric imperfections are presented and the validity of the method is established by comparisons with the direct analysis for the axi-symmetric case. Further simplifications are considered and a possible basis for codefied tolerances on meridional imperfections is developed. Some extensions to the method are suggested, particularly for the case of non axi-symmetric geometric imperfections.