Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015 Example 6

Example 6. Analysis of cylindrical tank

In this lesson you will learn how to:

– generate design model of cylindrical tank with bottom plate;
– define load from dead weight and from the weight of liquid;
– apply local coordinate system of nodes to design model;
– analyse reinforcement.

Description:
Reinforced concrete tank with radius R = 2 m and height H = 3 m.
Material for tank – reinforced concrete B25.
Thickness of wall d = 15 cm and thickness of bottom plate h = 20 cm.

Loads:
– load case 1 – dead weight;
– load case 2 – internal water pressure.

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 Example 6 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015

On the taskbar, click the Start button, and then point to All Programs. Point to the folder that contains
LIRA SAPR / LIRA-SAPR 2015 and then click LIRA-SAPR 2015.

Step 1. Creating new problem

On the FILE menu, click New (button on the toolbar).
In the Model type dialog box (see Fig.6.1) specify the following data:
problem name – Example6;
model type – 5 – Six degrees of freedom per node (translations X, Y, Z and rotations Ux, Uy, Uz).

Click OK .

Figure 6.1 Model type dialog box

It is also possible to open the Model type dialog box with a pre-defined type of model. To do this, on
the LIRA-SAPR menu (Application menu), point to New and click Model type 5 (Six DOF per node)

command . One more way to do the same: on the Quick Access Toolbar, click New and in the

drop-down menu select Model type 5 (Six DOF per node) command . Then you should define
only problem name.

To save all output data files for the problem in certain directory, select appropriate check box. The
directory name will coincide with the name of the problem. This directory will appear in the directory for
files with analysis results. This is helpful if you have to find output data files for certain problem, then
transfer these files or review and evaluate them with the help of Windows Explorer or other file managers.

Step 2. Generating model geometry

It is possible to analyse a quarter of a tank because this design model and load are centrically
symmetric. In this case it is necessary to assign appropriate restraints on nodes that belong to cut-off
planes.

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 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015 Example 6

To generate walls of the tank:

On the Create and edit ribbon tab, on the Create panel, point to Surface of revolution list and click the

Cylinder command .
In the Surfaces of revolution dialog box (see Fig.6.2), define the data necessary to generate cylinder:
radius R = 2 m;
height H = 3 m;
number of finite elements along the generatrix n1 = 20 and around the circle n2 = 9;
angle of segment fi = 90°.
other parameters remain by default.

Click Apply .

Figure 6.2 Surfaces of revolution dialog box

To generate the tank bottom plate:

In the Surfaces of revolution dialog box, click the second tab (see Fig.6.3) and define the data
necessary to generate cone:
minor radius r = 0 m;
base radius R = 2 m;
height H = 0 m;
number of finite elements along the generatrix n1 = 10 and around the circle n2 = 9;

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 Example 6 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015

angle of segment fi = 90°.

other parameters remain by default.

Click Apply .

Figure 6.3 Surfaces of revolution dialog box

To pack the model:

On the Create and edit ribbon tab, on the Edit panel, click Pack model .

In the Pack model dialog box (see Fig.6.4), click Apply . It is necessary to pack the model in order
to ‘throw together’ coincident nodes and elements and to eliminate (that is, to remove completely) deleted
nodes and elements from design model.

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 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015 Example 6

Figure 6.4 Pack model dialog box

To save data about design model:

On the LIRA-SAPR menu (Application menu), click Save command .

In the Save as dialog box specify the following data:
file name – Example6;
location where you want to save this file (Data folder is displayed by default).
Click Save.

Step 3. Assigning local coordinate system to nodes of design model

To select nodes:

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 Example 6 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015

To assign local coordinate system, it is necessary to select all nodes of design model except central
node of bottom plate – node No.301 (0;0;0).

On the Select toolbar (by default, it is displayed at the bottom of the screen), click PolyFilter .
In the PolyFilter dialog box, select the Filter for nodes tab (see Fig.6.5).
Select By numbers of nodes check box and specify numbers of elements 1 – 300.

Click Apply .

Figure 6.5 Filter for nodes tab

To assign local coordinate system:

When you select nodes or elements on design model, you will see Contextual Tabs on the Ribbon
User Interface. Contextual Tabs expose functionality specific only to the object in focus. They remain
hidden when the object it works on is not selected.
Contextual Tabs are mentioned to work with nodes or elements of the model. They contain commands to
create and edit the model and can't be activated from Results, Advanced results and Design ribbon
tabs.

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 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015 Example 6

On the Nodes contextual tab, on the Edit nodes panel, click Local nodal axes command .
In the Local axes of nodes dialog box (see Fig.6.6), clear the Z2 coordinate check box (we define
coordinate of a point from which local X-axes will be directed. As Z-coordinate is variable along the
height, it is necessary to clear appropriate check box).

Click Apply .

Figure 6.6 Local axes of nodes dialog box

Step 4. Defining design options

On the More edit options ribbon tab, on the Design panel, click Design options for main model

command .
In the Design options dialog box (see Fig.6.7), define parameters for the first design option:
in the Analysis of sections by list, select DCF;
other parameters remain by default.

Click Apply .

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 Example 6 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015

Figure 6.7 Design options dialog box

To close the Design options dialog box, click the Close button.

Step 5. Defining material properties to elements of tank

To create material data sets:
On the Create and edit ribbon tab, on the Stiffness and restraints panel, click Material properties

button .
In the Stiffness and materials dialog box (see Fig.6.8a), click Add. The list of standard section types will
be presented in the Add stiffness dialog box (see Fig.6.8b).

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 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015 Example 6

a b
Figure 6.8 Dialog boxes: a – Stiffness and materials, b – Add stiffness

In the Stiffness and materials dialog box, select the third tab Plates, solids, numerical and double-
click the Plates icon in the list.
In the Stiffness for plates dialog box (see Fig.6.9), specify the following parameters for Plate (bottom
plate):
modulus of elasticity – E = 3e6 t/m2 (for the U.S. keyboard layout);
Poisson's ratio – ν = 0.2;
thickness – H = 20 cm;
unit weight of material – Ro = 2.75 t/m3.

To confirm the specified data, click OK .

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 Example 6 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015

Figure 6.9 Stiffness for plates dialog box

In the Stiffness and materials dialog box, double-click the Plates icon in the list once again.
In another Stiffness for plates dialog box, specify the following parameters for Plate (web):
thickness – H = 15 cm;
other parameters remain as for the previous stiffness.

To confirm the specified data, click OK .

To hide library of stiffness properties, in the Stiffness and materials dialog box click Add unfold button.

To define materials for reinforced concrete (RC) structures:

To define parameters for reinforced concrete structures, in the Stiffness and materials dialog box, click
the second tab Reinforced concrete (RC).
Select Type option and click Add.
In the General parameters dialog box (see Fig.6.10), define the following parameters for plate elements:
in the Module of reinforcement list, select Shell;
in the Comment box, type comment - Shells;
other parameters remain by default.

Click OK .

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 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015 Example 6

Figure 6.10 General parameters dialog box

In the Stiffness and materials dialog box, select the Concrete option.
Click Default (in this case, concrete B25 is accepted by default).
In the same dialog box, select the Reinforcement option and click Add.
Click Default (in this case, reinforcement A-III is accepted by default).

To assign stiffness and material properties to elements of the tank:

On the Select toolbar, click Select block button . In this case, make sure that stiffness 2.Plate H 15
is defined as current one in the list of stiffness types and in the list of current materials the following data
should be defined as current one: type – 1.shell, concrete class – 1.B25 and class of reinforcement –
1.A-III.

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 Example 6 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015

Specify with the pointer any node or element of the web (nodes and elements of the wall will be coloured
red).

In the Stiffness and materials dialog box, click Apply . The elements become unselected. It
indicates that the current combination of stiffness type and material is assigned to selected elements.

In the Stiffness and materials dialog box, on the Properties tab, select the stiffness type 1.Plate H 20
in the list.
Click Set as current type.
Specify with the pointer any node or element of the tank bottom plate.

In the Stiffness and materials dialog box, click Apply .

Step 6. Defining boundary conditions

Local coordinate system is assigned to nodes of design model. Thus, applied boundary conditions
will correspond to this coordinate system.

On the Create and edit ribbon tab, on the Stiffness and restraints panel, click Restraints .
In the Restraints on nodes dialog box (see Fig.6.11), specify directions along which displacements of
nodes are not allowed (Y, UX, UZ). To do this, select appropriate check boxes.

Click Apply (the nodes will be coloured blue).

Figure 6.11 Restraints on nodes dialog box

To present the model in isometric projection, on the Projection toolbar (by default, it is displayed at the

bottom of the screen), click Isometric projection .

On the Select toolbar, point to Select nodes drop-down list and click Select nodes command .

On the Select toolbar, click Select by contour command .

With the left mouse button specify closed contour around the nodes where bottom plate is connected to
the web (you could just specify these nodes on the model with the pointer).

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 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015 Example 6

In the Restraints on nodes dialog box, specify directions along which displacements of nodes are not
allowed (Z). To do this, select appropriate check boxes.

Click Apply .

To present the model in dymetric projection, on the Projection toolbar, click Dymetric projection .

Step 7. Applying loads

To create load case No.1:
To define load from dead weight of the slab, on the Create and edit ribbon tab, select the Loads panel

and click Add dead weight .

In the Add dead weight dialog box (see Fig.6.12), click All elements and specify Load factor as equal

to 1. Then click Apply (dead weight of elements is applied according to the specified unit weight
Ro).

Figure 6.12 Add dead weight dialog box

To create load case No.2:

To change the number of the current load case, click the Next load case button located on the
Status bar or on the toolbar.

On the Select toolbar (by default, it is displayed at the bottom of the screen), click Select block .
Specify with the pointer any node or element of the tank bottom plate.
On the Create and edit ribbon tab, select the Loads panel, then select Load on plates command

from the Loads on nodes and elements drop-down list.

In the Define loads dialog box (see Fig.6.13), specify Global coordinate system and direction along the
Z-axis (default parameters).

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 Example 6 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015

Figure 6.13 Define loads dialog box

In the Load type area, click Uniformly distributed load button .

2
In the Load parameters dialog box specify P = 3 t/m (see Fig.6.14).

Click OK .

Figure 6.14 Load parameters dialog box

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 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015 Example 6

When the Select block command is active, specify with the pointer any node or element of the web of a
tank.
In the Define loads dialog box, on the Loads on plates tab, specify Local coordinate system.

Click Trapezoidal load on group of plates button .

In the Non-uniformly distributed load dialog box (see Fig.6.15), specify P1 = -3 t/m2 and direction along
which the load is changed (Z-axis).
Click OK.

Figure 6.15 Non-uniformly distributed load dialog box

To unselect nodes and elements, on the Select toolbar, click Unselect all button .

To define detailed information about load cases:

On the Create and edit ribbon tab, on the Loads panel, click Edit load cases . The Edit load
cases dialog box is displayed on the screen (see Fig.6.16).
For load case 1 – in the Edit selected load case area, in the Type box, select Dead and click Apply

For load case 2 – in the Edit selected load case area, in the Type box, select Live and click Apply
.

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 Example 6 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015

Figure 6.16. Edit load cases dialog box

Step 8. Generating DCF table

On the Analysis ribbon tab, select the DCF panel and click DCF table button .

As the type of load cases was defined in the Edit load cases dialog box (see Fig.6.16), the DCF
table is generated automatically with parameters accepted by default for every load case. Now you have
to modify parameters for the third load case.

In the Design combinations of forces dialog box (see Fig.6.17), to confirm parameters accepted by

default for every load case, just click OK .

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 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015 Example 6

Figure 6.17 Design combinations of forces dialog box

Step 9. Complete analysis of the model

To carry out complete analysis of the model, on the Analysis ribbon tab, select the Analysis panel and

in the Analyse drop-down list, click Complete analysis .

Step 10. Review and evaluation of static & dynamic analyses results

When analysis procedure is complete, to review and evaluate results of static and dynamic analyses,
select the Results ribbon tab.

In the mode of analysis results visualization, by default design model is presented with account of nodal
displacements.

To change number of active load case:

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 Example 6 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015

On the status bar (displayed at the bottom of the screen), in the Load case No. list, select No. 2 and click

Apply .

To present displacement contour plots along the local X-axis on the deformed web of a tank:

To select elements of web, make sure that Select block command is active (button on the Select
toolbar) and then specify any node or element of the tank web.
To present on the screen only selected nodes and elements of the web, on the Select toolbar, click

Fragmentation .
To present contour plot of displacements along the local X-axis, on the Results ribbon tab, on the

Deformations panel, select the Displacement contour plot in local coordinate system command
in the Displacement mosaic/contour plot drop-down list.

Then click Displacements along X button on the same panel.

To present design model in projection on the YOZ-plane (see Fig.6.18), on the Projection toolbar (by

default, it is displayed at the bottom of the screen), click Projection on YOZ-plane .

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 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015 Example 6

Figure 6.18 Displacement contour plot along the local X-axis in elements of the tank web

To restore design model in initial view, on the Select toolbar, click Restore model .

To present the model in dimetric projection, on the Projection toolbar, click Dimetric projection .

To present contour plots of vertical displacements in tank bottom plate on the deformed shape:

To select elements of tank bottom plate, make sure that Select block command is active (button on
the Select toolbar) and then specify any node or element of the bottom plate.
To present on the screen only selected nodes and elements of the bottom plate, on the Select toolbar,

click Fragmentation .
To present contour plot of displacements along the global Z-axis, on the Results ribbon tab, on the
Deformations panel, select the Displacement contour plot in global coordinate system command

in the Displacement mosaic/contour plot drop-down list.

Then click Displacements along Z button on the same panel.

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 Example 6 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015

Figure 6.19 Displacement contour plot along the global Z-axis in elements of the tank bottom plate

To present stress mosaic plots:

To present stress mosaic plot for Mx, on the Results ribbon tab, on the Stress in plates and solids

panel, select the Stress mosaic plot command in the Stress mosaic/contour plots drop-down list.

Then click Stress Mx button on the same panel.

To present stress mosaic plot for Nx, click Stress Nx button on the same panel.

To restore design model in initial view, on the Select toolbar, click Restore model .

To display design model and hide the stress mosaic plot Nx, click Stress Nx button once again to
make it not active.
To display design model without account of nodal displacements, on the Results ribbon tab, on the

Deformations panel, click Initial model button .

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 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015 Example 6

To display information about stress in any element of lower part of tank web, on the Select toolbar, click

the Information about nodes and elements button and specify with the pointer any element in the
lower part of tank web.

The stress values will be displayed in the dialog box (see Fig.6.20).

Figure 6.20 Information about element dialog box

To generate and review tables of analysis results:

To present table with design combinations of forces in elements of the model, on the Results ribbon tab,

select Tables panel and click Standard tables in the Documents drop-down list.
In the Standard tables dialog box (see Fig.6.21), select Design combinations of forces, design
values in the list.
Click Apply.

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 Example 6 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015

By default, standard tables are generated in the *.csv format. Information presented in these tables is
divided into different tabs: input data (optional), e.g. DCF coefficients; output data for bars; output data for
plates; etc.
To generate table in *.csv format and add it to the Report Book, select the Generate updatable table in
Report Book check box. If the table is located in the Report Book, it is possible to update it later (if
required) and add it to the report file with the Report Book options.
To modify format of the table, in the Standard tables dialog box, click Select format. Then in the Table
format dialog box, select appropriate option and click OK. To generate table in Document Maker (DOC-
SAPR module), select RPT format.
Selected format is saved and will be applied by default in further work with standard tables.

Figure 6.21 Standard tables dialog box

To close the table, on the FILE menu, click Close.

Step 11. Review and evaluate results from analysis of reinforcement

When analysis procedure is complete, to review and evaluate analysis results for reinforcement,
select the Design ribbon tab.

To present results from analysis of reinforcement:

To present information about determined reinforcement in a certain plate FE, on the Select toolbar, click

Information about nodes and elements button and specify with a pointer any plate element on the
model.

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 Tutorial on LIRA-SAPR version 2015 Example 6

In the dialog box that appears on the screen, select the Longitudinal reinforcement tab. This dialog box
contains complete information about selected element, including results for reinforcement.
To close the dialog box, click Close button.
To display mosaic plot for area of lower reinforcement in plates along the X1-axis, click the Lower

reinforcement in plates along X1 button (on the Design ribbon tab, the RC: Plates panel).
To display mosaic plot for area of lower reinforcement in plates along the Y1-axis, click the Lower

reinforcement in plates along Y1 button (on the Design ribbon tab, the RC: Plates panel).

To generate and review table with analysis results for reinforcement:

On the Design ribbon tab, select the Tables panel and click Analysis results tables for RC command

in the Documents drop-down list.

In the Tables of analysis results dialog box (see Fig.6.22), click the Plates option in the Elements area.
Option For all elements in the Create table area is selected by default.
Click Table - on the screen (It is also possible to add the table to the Report Book and select format for
the table, in a similar manner to that used for standard tables).

Figure 6.22 Tables of analysis results dialog box

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