Civil engineering structural calculation – Underpass structures or buried works

3. CYLINDRICAL SHELLS. CONCEPTS AND BEHAVIOR

3.1 General concepts and behavior

Generating these surface is possible by translating a circumference arch on the perpendicularly

Figure 4. Geometric parameters of the cylindrical shell of a symmetric circular directrix.

𝑅 𝑅
There are usually two main types of cylindrica shells: the long shells ( < 0.4), and the short ( >
𝐿 𝐿

0.4), with several differences in behavior. In order to obtain acceptable working conditions, the
stiffness of the end arches of said shells mut be ensured, normally by means of filling or guying
(Figure 5) to avoid losing curvature due to the loads. Once the shell has been stiffened, it is usually
placed on 4 supports, that is, without intermediate supports between the gables.

Figure 5. Cylindrical shells: Filled (upper image) or guyed (lower image)

The points of a cylindrical shell tend to descend and move as a result of vertical loads, while
simultaneously moving inward the cylinder. When the load concentrates on the key (the case of
horizontally-projected uniform load), the points tend to descend and mote outwards.

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3.1.1. Long cylindrical shells

Long cylindrical shells show a similar behavior to that of beams supported by spandrels: the
upper longitudinal fibers are compressed, while the lower are tensioned, thus causing tensile and
compressive stresses to vary, in a linear manner, from a maximum at the edges and in the key,
to being annulled in the neutral plane.

On the other hand, in the transverse direction, compression forces appear as if the cylinder
behaved like a series of arches supported on the four corner areas near the edges (Figure 6). As
a result of this, the arches are compressed in the direction of the generating circle.

Figure 6. Cylindrical shell with a uniform load.

However, as observed in the previous figure, the points should move inward the cylinder, or that
with regards to the tension, the arches should compress the intrados fibers and tension backfill
fibers (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Cylindrical shell: Stresses on a section with a uniform overload

However, this transversal effect is milder than the longitudinal effect in the long shells. The
deformations will be at maximum in the central arch and zero in the gable arches. In fact, moving
with this zero variation in the spandrel, and a maximum in the center (Figure 8) in turn causes a
bending on the longitudinal direction, especially in the areas close to the spandrels (in the rest
they are practically null).

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Figure 8. Cylindrical shell: Deformed in a longitudinal fiber.

According to these considerations, a long cylindrical shell with stiffened spandrels, and uniform
vertical load, will show the following stress distributions (Figure 9):

Stress distribution

Compression distribution

Compression ID

Bending ID

Shear distribution

Shear distribution

Bending ID

Figure 9. Stress distribution in cylindrical shell

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Stresses N1, N2 and N12 cause tension at each point, which will determine isostatics as the ones
shown in figure 10.

Compressive
Tensile

Figure 10. Cylindrical shell with stiffened spandrels: Stress distribution.

3.1.2. Short cylindrical shells

Some of the differences between short and long cylindrical shells are:

▪ Regarding the longitudinal tensions and compressions, they move away from the beam
type until both the upper and lower fibers are tensioned, and the intermediate fibers are
compressed (Figure 11), thus decreasing their tension and compression values in
relation to those of the long sheets

Figure 11. Cylindrical shell with stiffened spandrels: Isostatic distribution

▪ Regarding the compression and transverse bending, they increase in short shells, as well
as the longitudinal bending, which is noticeable throughout the length of the cylinder, since
areas “A” in Figure 9 are juxtaposed due to the small length.

In general terms, the effect of beam decreases while the effect of the arch increases.

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3.1.3. Multiple cylindrical shells

When several cylindrical shells are juxtaposed with the common edges two at a time (Figure 12),
some behavioral changes occur. In the case all the shells are the same, there is a compensation
of the horizontal displacements on the edges, which tend to only move vertically. Compared to
the single isolated shell, the longitudinal tensile stresses N1 decrease in value, however, they
cover a greater area of the shell (the neutral plane rises) so that N1 compressions may increase
in value and reduce their area of action. As for transverse compressions N2, they are maintained,
thus becoming small tensions on the edges, while shears N12 experience a decrease in their
value.

Figure 12. Multiple cylindrical shells

Transverse bending N2 is the one that lowers the most due to the reduced horizontal movement
of the edge in which the sign is even changed (when tensioning the intrados and compressing
the extrados); that is, one of the inner identical cylindrical shells show a similar behavior, as a
beam, as that of the isolated shell; however, the shell’s transverse behavior is more favorable
(minor stresses), and closer to a true arch. As for the two peripheric halves of the end shells,
(Figure 12), they behave as if they were single shells.

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3.1.4. Stiffening of cylindrical shells

An increase in shell stiffness can be achieved by adding longitudinal beams along the edges as
shown in figure 13. As a result, the area of longitudinal tensions is increased, the neutral plane
descends, and the area of longitudinal compressions also increases.

Figure 13. Cylindrical beams with longitudinal beams on the edges.

Regarding shells without edge beams, a decrease in longitudinal tensions and compressions N1
is observed, as well as in transverse moments N2, which also become positive (intrados tension,
extrados compression). As for the edge beams, they will support longitudinal tensions plus the
longitudinal bending that will compress the upper fibers while tensioning the lower fiber; the result
is a compound stress

As explained previously, transverse arches gradually behave like true arches (positive moments
and pressure at the edges) as the edges stiffen (multiple shell, shell with edge beams). This
process could lead to a total stiffening of the edge, for example, by supporting it on a continuous
wall; however, the effect of a true succession of arches would cause greater stresses by
weakening the spatial behavior, thus falling into the vault concept (which differs from the shell due
to the greater thickness required by higher stresses).

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