Finite Element Analysis of Large-Span Valve Hall Structure Under Extreme Wind Conditions

Large-span valve hall structure is frequently used in convertor stations due to the large-span and high-headroom features. For coastal areas, these structures will face extreme wind conditions, and the safety evaluation under extremely large wind velocities could be an important issue for large-span valve hall structure. A finite element model was proposed in this chapter to predict the displacement and stress response of the large-span valve hall structure under different wind loads. Elastoplastic material model is employed here. The wind load is utilized through wind pressure on the structure elements, and the wind field is composed through linear superposition of harmonic functions with random amplitude and frequency. Meanwhile, maximum wind load of the large-span valve hall structure is obtained. The results show that the structure is safe under the maximum wind load (37 m/s) that may occur in daily situations. Even at the wind speed of 40 m/s, the maximum axial stress in the structure is still less than the yield limit of the material. However, when the wind speed exceeds 45 m/s, plastic deformation will occur in some parts of the large-span valve hall structure, increasing the risk of structural failure.