Impact of Geometrical Imperfections on Estimation of Buckling and Limit Loads in a Silo Segment Using the Vibration Correlation Technique

The paper examines effectiveness of the vibration correlation technique which allows determining the buckling or limit loads by means of measured natural frequencies of structures. A steel silo segment with a corrugated wall, stiffened with cold-formed channel section columns was analysed. The investigations included numerical analyses of: linear buckling, dynamic eigenvalue and geometrically static non-linear problems. Both perfect and imperfect geometries were considered. Initial geometrical imperfections included first and second buckling and vibration mode shapes with three amplitudes. The vibration correlation technique proved to be useful in estimating limit or buckling loads. It was very efficient in the case of small and medium imperfection magnitudes. The significant deviations between the predicted and calculated buckling and limit loads occurred when large imperfections were considered.