The Islamic University of Gaza

Department of Civil Engineering

ENGC 6353

Design of Spherical Shells (Domes)

Shell Structure
A thin shell is defined as a shell with a relatively small
thickness, compared with its other dimensions.

ShellStructure

Four commonly occurring Shell Types:

Barrel Vault

Dome

Folded Plate
Hyperbolic Paraboloid (Hypar)

What is a shell structure?

To answer this question, we have to investigate some important notions
of structural design.

Two-dimensional structures: beams and arches

A beam responds to loading by bending

the top elements of the beam are
compressed and the bottom is extended:
the development of internal tension and
compression is necessary to resist the
applied vertical loading.

An arch responds to loading by

compressing.
The elements through the thickness of
the arch are being compressed
approximately equally. Note that there
is some bending also present.

Plate Bending

A plate responds to transverse loads by bending

This is a fundamentally inefficient use of material, by analogy to
the beam. Moreover, bending introduces tension into the
convex side of the bent plate.

Plate bending vs. membrane stresses

Note: this is an experiment you can try yourself by folding a sheet
of paper into a box.

This slide shows a concrete plate of 6

thickness, spanning 100 feet, resisting
its own weight by plate bending

If the plate is shaped into a box,

then each of the sides of the box
resists bending by the development
of membrane stresses. The box
structure is much stronger and
stiffer!

Domes

A shell is shaped so that it will develop membrane

stresses in response to loads
The half-dome shell responds to transverse loads by development of
membrane forces. Note that lines on the shell retain approximately their
original shape.

Domes
The primary response of a dome to loading is development of membrane
compressive stresses along the meridians, by analogy to the arch.
The dome also develops compressive or tensile membrane stresses along
lines of latitude. These are known as hoop stresses and are tensile at the
base and compressive higher up in the dome.

Meridional Compressive Stress

Circumferential Hoop Stress

(comp.)

Circumferential Hoop Stress (tens.)

In this figure, the blue color

represents zones of
compressive stress only.
The colors beyond blue
represent circumferential
tensile stresses, intensifying
as the colors move towards
the red.
A dome that is a segment of
a sphere not including
latitudes less than 50 does
not develop significant hoop
tension.
The half-dome shell does develop membrane tensile stresses, below about
50 north latitude. These are also known as hoop stresses

Thin Shell Structures

Two type of stresses are produced:
1. Meridional stresses along the direction of the meridians
2. Hoop stresses along the latitudes
Bending stresses are negligible, but become significant when the rise
of the dome is very small
(if the rise is less than the about1/8 the base diameter the shell is
considered as a shallow shell)

Thin Shell Structures

Assumption of Analysis
1. Deflection under load are small.
2. Points on the normal to the middle surface deformation
will remain on the normal after deformation
3. Shear stresses normal to the middle surface can be neglected

Spherical Shells
Internal Forces due to dead load w/m3
Consider the equilibrium of a ring enclosed between two
Horizontal section AB and CD
The weight of the ring ABCD itself acting vertically downward
The meridional thrust N per unit length acting tangentially at B
The reaction thrust N +d N per unit unit length at point D
N

A
C

D
N+dN

H
N

r
a

E
A

Meridional Force N

r
a

D
N+dN

Surface area of shell AEB

A 2 a EF
EF a 1 cos
W w D A D 2 a EF
W w D 2 a 2 (1 cos )
N (2 r ) sin w D 2 a 2 (1 cos )
r a sin
w a (1 cos )
w D a (1 cos )
w Da
N D

sin 2
(1 cos )(1 cos ) 1 cos

+ve compression
-ve tension

Spherical Shells A

N+dN

Hoop Force N
The difference between the N and N dN which respectively acts at

angles and with the horizontal give rise to the hoop force.
Hoope force = N ad
d
The horizontal component of N is N cos
N causes hoop tension N a cos sin
similarly
The horizontal component of N +dN is N +dN cos d
N +dN causes hoop tension

+dN cos d a cos d

D
N+dN

B
W

Spherical Shells A

H
N

N+dN

r
a

When increase in is small dN tends to be zero

N ad d N a cos sin

where
w a (1 cos )
N D
sin 2
N w D

cos cos 1

1
a cos
w D a
1
cos
1
cos

N+dN

Spherical Shells
HoopForce N

1
N w D a cos
1
cos

wa
At crown 0 N
2
At base 90 N wa

(compression )
(tension )

when N 0 51o 49'

for 51o 49'

N will be compressive

for 51o 49'

N will be tensile

Spherical Shells

Spherical Shells

Ring Force H
H N cos w D a

cos
1 cos

at 51o 49' N 0 & H is maximum

H max 0.382 w D a

Spherical Shells
Internal forces due to Live load (wL/m2)horizontal
Meridional Force T
W w L r 2 w L a 2 sin 2
y a (1 cos )
r a sin
N 2 a sin sin w L a 2 sin 2
w La
2
Hoop Force N

wL a
cos 2
2
Ring Tension
N

cos
2
at 45o N 0 & H is maximum H max 0.3535 w L a
H N cos w L a

Spherical Shells

In conical shells and flat spherical dome, bending moments

will be developed due to the big difference between the high
tensile stress in the foot ring and compressive stresses or low
tensile stress in the adjacent zones of the shell

Ring beam design

Design of the Circular Beam
Horizontal Load
As

T Ultimate Load
0.9f y

T H r
Vertical Load
Vertical Uniform load (w V ) N sin o .w
Span length l

2 r
# of supports

P 2 r wV
M max ve C 1 P r (see the tables of circular beams)
M max ve C 2 P r (see the tables of circular beams)

Edge Forces
In flat spherical domes, bending moments will be developed due to
the big difference between the high tensile stress in the foot ring and
compressive stresses in the adjacent zones
It is recommended to use transition curves at the edge and to
increase the thickness of the shell at the transition curve.
Bending moments can avoided if the shape of meridian is changed
in a convenient manner. This change can be done by a transition
curve, which when well chosen gives a relief to the stress at the foot
ring.
In order to decrease the stress due to the forces at the foot ring, it is
recommended to increase the thickness of the shell in the region of
the transition curve.

Edge Forces
In flat spherical domes, bending moments will be developed due to
the big difference between the high tensile stress in the foot ring and
compressive stresses in the adjacent zones
It is recommended to use transition curves at the edge and to
increase the thickness of the shell at the transition curve.

Ring Beam
At the free edge of the dome, meridian stresses have a large
horizontal component which is taken care of by providing a ring
beam there. This ring beam is subjected to hoop tension.
In case of hemispherical domes, no ring beam are required since
the meridional thrust is vertical at free end

Reinforcement
Steel is generally placed at the center of the thickness of the
dome along the meridians and latitudes. If all the meridional
lines are led to the crown, there will be a lot of congestion of bars
and their proper anchorage may be difficult.
To overcome this problem, small circle is left at the crown and
all the meridional steel bars are stopped at this circle. Area
enclosed by this small circle at the top is reinforced by a separate
mesh.

Example: Design of a spherical dome

Design a spherical shell roof for a circular tank 12m in

diameter as shown in the figure. Assume the following
loading: Covering material = 50 kg/m2 and LL= 100 kg/m2
Use '
f c 300 kg / cm 2 and f y 4200 kg / cm 2

y=1.4m
r=6m

a 2 r 2 a y

a 2 r 2 a 2 y 2 2ay
r 2 y 2 62 1.42

13.56m
Radius of the Shell a
2y
2 1.4
6
0.442
sin =
13.56
26.23
cos 0.896 tan 0.493

y=1.4m
r=6m

Loading on roof
Assume shell thickness = 10 cm
Own weight = 0.1(2.5)= 0.25 t/m2
Covering materials = 0.05 t/m2
LL= 0.1 t/m2
Note: the live load is considered as loading per surface area

Design of Ring Beam:

Wu= 1.2(0.2+0.05)+1.6(0.1)=0.52 t/m2
Total load on roof =

2ayWu=2(13.56)(1.4)(0.52)=62 ton
Vertical Load per meter of cylindrical wall
=62/(2*6)=1.645 ton/m
Outward horizontal force =1.645/tan=3.337 t/m

Ring tension in beam

T H r 3.337 5 20 tons
T
20*1000

5.35 cm 2
As
f y 0.9 4200
use 8 10 mm

Design of the Shell

Meridian Force
Meridian force per unit length of circumference
N

Wua
1 cos

at 0
at foot

W u a 0.52*13.56

3.52 t / m ' (compression)

2
2
cos 0.896
N

0.52 13.56
3.72 t / m ' (compression)
1 0.896
Use minimum reinf. ratio = 0.0018

A s 0.0018(10)(100) 1.8cm 2
use 5 8 mm/m

Ring (Hoop) Force

1
N w u r cos

1
cos

wr 0.52(13.56)
At crown 0 N

3.52 t / m ' (compression)

2
2
At foot cos 0.896 N 2.59 t / m ' (compression)
A s 0.0018(10)(100) 1.8 cm 2
use minmum reinf. 5 8 mm/m

Bending Moment
Assume that the thickness at the foot = 15 cm
x 0.6 at 0.6 13.56 0.15 0.85cm
W u x 2 0.52 0.85
Fixing moment M

0.188 t / m
2
2
d 15 3 12cm
2

0.85 300
1 2.61106 0.188
1
0.0003 min

2
4200
100 12 300

use minmum reinf. 5 8 mm/m

Example: Design of a spherical Dome

Reinforcement details

Spherical Shells under General Loading

Internal Forces Due to Others Loading