Collapse Prediction Analysis of South Pole Dome Due to Foundation Settlement

• 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

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.