Steady Wind Load on External Surface and Its Effect on Wind-Induced Response for a 200m High Natural-Draught Cooling Tower

Wind tunnel tests were carried out to measure the wind pressure of a 200m high natural-draught cooling tower. An analysis of the distribution characteristics of external pressure was then conducted to determine the pressure coefficients Cp(θ , z) in a given wind profile. Finally, the effect on the response of the shell and the buckling safety of the shell, applying the simplified height-constant pressure coefficient Cp(θ ) and the realistic pressure Cp(θ , z), was determined. Taking the wind load specified in the code as an example, the influence of the distribution of external pressure on the wind-induced response was further analyzed. The results indicate that the pressure distribution varies with not only the height z but also the circumferential angle θ , and the wind load of both ends of the tower is significantly greater than that of its middle. Moreover, the wind-induced static responses of the tower under the action of the realistic pressure distribution Cp(θ , z) and the simplified approach Cp(θ ) are basically consistent, because the wind load distribution is more important than its magnitude for the wind-induced response of cooling tower, and the wind-induced response of the cooling tower is dominated by the local shell deformation.