Ensuring the structural integrity of a tower in varying wind directions is crucial. We've developed an automated method for creating multiple load cases and combinations based on the different wind directions acting on the tower. This automation improves structural analysis precision, leading to more optimized tower designs.
Traditionally, creating load cases for multiple wind directions is a very time consuming and error-prone process. Our automated system simplifies this process, making it a valuable tool in tower engineering. Based on the number of tower legs we assign the number of wind directions to be assessed. This is done to capture the most critical response of the tower.
For 4-legged towers, we assess 8 wind directions:
For 3-legged towers, we cover 12 wind directions:
What our system does
- FEA Analysis: We perform a finite element analysis (FEA) for all wind directions, assessing the tower’s response
- Result compilation: After FEA, we collect results from each wind direction
- Identifying key results: The system selects governing results for the design checks, including internal forces, reactions forces and node displacements.
Automating load case and combination creation is a significant improvement in tower engineering. This simplification saves time and minimizes errors, leading to precise structural analysis and optimized tower designs.
FEA Analysis for Natural Frequency Calculation
One of the critical aspects of our automated system is the calculation of the tower's natural frequency. We achieve this through dynamic modal analysis, which allows us to determine the natural modes of vibrations, ensuring that the tower's response to dynamic forces is accurately considered in our design process.
Conclusion
For both 4-legged and 3-legged towers, our system covers a comprehensive range of wind directions, ensuring that we capture the most critical responses of the tower. Through finite element analysis (FEA), we accurately assess the tower's behavior in each wind direction, collecting essential results for design checks, such as internal forces, reaction forces, and node displacements.
What traditionally practicing engineers at consulting firms would typically spend days on can now be completed in seconds with our system.
