Collapse Prediction Analysis of South Pole Dome Due to Foundation Settlement

The base of the geodesic dome sheltering the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is distorting due to movement in the compacted snow foundation. Determination of how much longer the dome can withstand ice field motion is aided by a nonlinear finite element analysis. A description of the base ring diff...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shugar, T A, Holland, T J, Shoemaker, N F
Other Authors: NAVAL CIVIL ENGINEERING LAB PORT HUENEME CA
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1988
Subjects:
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
Structural Engineering and Building Technology
*DOMES(STRUCTURAL FORMS)
*FOUNDATIONS(STRUCTURES)
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
BUCKLING
COLLAPSE
COMPUTATIONS
COMPUTER GRAPHICS
DISPLACEMENT
DISTORTION
FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
GEODESICS
ICE
ISOLATION
LEAST SQUARES METHOD
MODELS
MOTION
NONLINEAR ANALYSIS
PREDICTIONS
RINGS
SHELTERS
STATIONS
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES
TOPOLOGY
*GEODESIC DOMES
SOUTH POLE STATION
WUDN666380
Amundsen Scott South Pole Station
Amundsen-Scott
Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
Antarctic
South Pole
Antarc*
Ice
permafrost
South pole
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA193833
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA193833
Description
Summary:The base of the geodesic dome sheltering the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is distorting due to movement in the compacted snow foundation. Determination of how much longer the dome can withstand ice field motion is aided by a nonlinear finite element analysis. A description of the base ring differential displacement is obtained by a least squares analysis of foundation displacement data. The topology and geometry of the geodesic dome have been reconstructed, and a one-to-one correspondence exists between the modeled and actual latticed framework. Two alternative approaches to structural modeling, based on the same topology, are developed and discussed. Computational results are obtained, and then displayed and analyzed using computer graphics. These results indicate that the South Pole Dome can withstand twice the load currently induced by existing foundation settlement. The structure exhibits isolated group buckling but is in no danger of general collapse at that load level. The actual level of settlement at which general collapse could occur could not be calculated.

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