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J.M.F.G. Holst and J.M. Rotter

amplitude (Fig. 4.8(b)): the calculations show the reasons for this, despite the large amplitude of the dimple imperfection (up to 20t ). The width of the dimple when global buckling occurred (critical dimple size) appeared to be independent of the uplift and imperfection amplitude. Thus, the critical widths for cases max = 0.203 and max = 3.7 were approximately the same ( 5). One experiment used an uplift of max = 1.0 at four stations, leading to a Stage B buckling load of cr = 0.32. A nite element analysis for max = 1.66 buckled at cr = 0.36, which is very similar. However, other experiments showed a signicant experimental scatter, so the close match may not be very meaningful.

Conclusions of local uplift studies The experiments and calculations of the behaviour of cylinders with local uplift at the base boundary, followed by uniform axial compression loading give a clear insight into the behaviour and severity of local settlement boundary displacements in tanks and silos. The broad conclusions that can be drawn from this study are: 1 Relatively small local uplifts at the shell boundary cause a snap-through dimple buckle that may be unsightly, but is stable. Its amplitude grows with increasing uplift. Axial compression, superposed on the uplift, leads to global bifurcation buckling, generally initiated from the dimple, but at axial compression stress levels that are similar to those associated with random imperfections. The amplitude of the dimple has a minor effect on the bifurcation load. The chief reason why the local dimple does not reduce the buckling strength markedly appears to be its role in redistributing the high axial stresses from its centre to the shell adjacent to it, so that the high local stress is dissipated. This effect is very important in imposed displacement problems (e.g. settlement), but may be less so for load-induced stress concentrations.

Conclusions
This chapter has outlined current knowledge of buckling as a result of settlement beneath a cylindrical shell, usually in the form of a ground-supported tank or silo. The three key features of such knowledge have been explored: characterisation of the settlements and their components, stress analysis and prediction of displacements in the shell structure, and criteria of failure or limit states. Symmetrical settlements beneath tanks can be predicted using soil mechanical theories, but uneven settlements around the circumference beneath the tank wall are very difcult to predict in advance. As a result, most uses of this knowledge will be in investigations of tanks that already show signs of distress. For such