Innovative experimentation on hollow cylindrical shells of reinforced concrete under axial compressive load

Abstract

Reinforced concrete elevated water tanks supported on shaft type staging system are popularly constructed now a days for storage of water for water supply schemes. If slip form is used for casting of the shaft staging, the water towers generally require lesser time for construction. Elevated water tanks are top heavy structure especially in the tank full condition. It is often a critical question in structural design that what should be the proper structural model adopted for design of such class of structure. Should the shaft be designed as a hollow cylindrical column subjected to axial compression or is it essentially a R.C. cylindrical shell subjected to membrane forces under axial compression. To better understand it is proposed to cast such R.C. shells and after water curing for 28 days shall be subjected to axial compressive load in a compressive strength testing machine. The failure pattern of the shells shall be observed critically to get a proper understanding of behavior of such R.C shaft supported elevated water tank structures.