Designers Manual
Designers Manual
Designers Manual
Draft Copy
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Content:
2. Type of loadings
3. Design approach
9. Floor Types
10 Temporary Works
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1. Types of wine cellars
From a structural point the wine cellar is an underground retaining structure which is
placed in the soil under ground floor level, usually within close proximity to existing
or proposed foundations of a building.
The wine cellar consists of a concrete ring and a concrete base, which forms a
structure resisting the surcharge load, water tightness is provided by butyl membrane.
Wine cellar can be installed in various depths and diameters, available types as listed
below:
- White Cellar
Note:
Cellar depth is measured from the finish floor level to the top of base slab of the
cellar.
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1.1 Wine cellars example– general pictures
White cellar
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1.2 Wine cellars- Installation sheet – example from engineering package
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1.3 Wine cellars- Installation sheet – example from engineering package
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2. Type of loadings.
The wine cellars are usually placed in the residential buildings where the footprint of
the foundations is relatively small in relation to the wine cellar diameter. This means
that in most of the cases there is going to be certain pressure from the foundations
acting onto the new underground structure.
The quick check if the cellar is subject to the foundation loads can be estimated from
45deg load spread under the footing.
In reality the resultant pressure from applied force to the surface of soil varies within
depth and distance from applied force and can be illustrated by Soil Pressure Bulbs.
Please refer to next chapter for illustration.
The purpose of structural analysis of the wine cellar ring is to calculate the highest
bending moment under present surcharge loadings. The analysis shows that the
bending moment can increase when uniform loadings (soil and water) are reduced and
mainly foundation surcharge pressure is taken into account.
Depending on the location, the cellar can be subject to additional surcharge live loads
applied to the ground bearing slab within the area where the cellar is located.
The estimation if the vehicle load is transferred on to the cellar structure can be easily
done by 45deg load spread assumption.
In the scenario of high water table in the specific location the cellar structure can be
subject to hydrostatic water pressure acting on the cellar walls and base.
The main concern is the pressure acting on the base of the cellar which can cause
uplift of the structure; therefore the floatation check is essential and advised in every
case.
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Heave or shrinkage of cohesive soils
If the cellar is placed in the cohesive soil there could be potential risk of movement
caused by heave or shrinkage occurring around the cellar structure.
In cohesive soils the cellar should be kept independent from the floor structure.
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3. Design approach
- Structure
The circular shape of the structure with more than 2m in diameter gives huge stiffness
and moment of intetria.
The structure is cast from normal concrete reinforced with polymer fibres
- Material.
Given the analysis results in various loading scenarios it was concluded that the
required moment of resistance can be achieved with fibre reinforcement additive to
the normal concrete. The new approach had been introduced purely because of the
time and cost which could be saved on standard installation of steel bars in circular
structures.
The fibre reinforcement has been available on the European market for a few years
and has been widely used mostly in the design of ground bearing slabs, but the
product has been tested for structural applications as short beams or slabs.
For the design of the concrete structure the polymer fibres STRUX 90/40 have been
used. The polymer fibres have been used because of butyl membrane which could be
damaged if steel fibres were used instead. For the structure C30 normal concrete is
used with mix design recommended by a manufacturer.
- Loadings
The shape of the structure means that the cellar under uniform load from soil, water or
surface live loads becomes a compressive ring with uniform membrane stresses at
certain depths of the ring. The ring, being made of concrete can easily resist the
compression occurring from the given forces.
The design limits are given by bending moments along the perimeter of the cellar
which can be caused by variable surcharge loading from the adjacent foundations.
On top of the structural analysis the minimum sizing has to provide adequate dead
weight against uplift forces which can occur. The dead weight of the cellar consists of
the ring (150mm thick), the base slab (minimum 200mm thick) and internal concrete
blocks used as wine storage shelves.
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4. Foundation Loadings - Literature
The pressure caused by the uniform load applied to the surface of soil is illustrated by
the graph below. Which shows a pressure bulbs for the vertical stress base on soil
mechanics and Boussinesq expressions (Craig’s Soil Mechanics) a similar relationship
can be derived for vertical stress.
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Boussinesq expressions based on Craig’s Soil Mechanics (7th edition ) the following
equations were used in the structural analysis:
Geometrical relationship between uniform load and vertical and horizontal stress
Mathematical relationship between uniform load and vertical and horizontal stress
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The following is an example from Craig’s Soil Mechanics for development of vertical
and horizontal stresses:
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5. Horizontal Stress in wine cellar calculations
The above theory was used to develop the loading pattern which occurs on the surface
of circular ring in the function of depth:
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For the worst case design purpose the following assumptions were introduced:
- Minimum distance from the edge of the foundation to the face of the ring -100mm
- Cellar depth 3m
- The one quarter of ring has been considered to calculate the loading on the ring
surface
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The following is an extract from Elite Designers calculations:
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The following is an extract from Elite Designers calculations:
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The following is an extract from Elite Designers calculations:
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6. Analysis and Results
Finite element analysis was used to calculate the resulting stresses in the structure
under the varying load pattern. A 3D model of the circular structure has been created
in FEA software where appropriate parameters for geometry, materials, supports and
loadings have been assigned.
General results have been created for the different load case scenarios, from the
analysis it was concluded that the worst situation occurs when there are two parallel
walls situated on opposite sides of the cellar squeezing the ring. In the situation of
three or four walls around the cellar being located at similar distances from the centre,
the bending moment in the ring is reduced by the fact that the surrounding forces are
at approximately similar magnitude which brings the structure into compression.
The two following cases can be taken as an illustration for worst case scenarios in
most of the situations:
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FEA for circular shell structure
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FEA for circular shell structure
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FEA for circular shell structure
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FEA for circular shell structure
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FEA for circular shell structure
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FEA for circular shell structure
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FEA results and Concrete Design:
The maximum moment of resistance for the circular shape has been calculated based
on the section properties and flexural strength of concrete reinforced with Strux 90/40
fibres.
The flexural strength of concrete with Strux fibres has been based on CE document:
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7. Concrete Ring Design and Conclusions:
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Concrete Base Design:
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Design Conclusions:
- Due to the geometrical properties of the structure the surcharge forces acting on
the cellar will cause mainly compression in the ring. The bending moment which
may occur along the perimeter is minor in magnitude and any tensile stresses in
the section can be resisted by polymer fibre reinforcement Strux 90/40.
- The bending moment in the base slab of the cellar due to water pressure can be
resisted by polymer fibre reinforcement Strux 90/40.
- The main concern in the design of the cellar is the water uplift which has to be
restrained by dead weight of the concrete base and concrete ring. The concrete
structure has to be provided even if the foundations lay beyond 45deg influence
line.
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8. TYPE OF SOIL and risks involved:
Standard construction as per Spiral Cellars Ltd method statement and the
suggested excavation procedure is illustrated on the following pages.
High water table can cause certain difficulties during excavation and casting of
the concrete structure. It is recommended to use an experienced Contractor
who is confident and can provide adequate equipment for such conditions.
It is suggested to use lower water content in the concrete mix and use a
concrete plasticizer for better workability. It is recommended to contact local
concrete supplier for product specification.
3. Sand and gravel –BASEMENTS - high water table -– higher risk involved
With piled structures the main risk involves potential settlement of the cellar
positioned in non load bearing strata.
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9. Floor types - tbc
Timber Floor -
In non cohesive soils the existing B&B floor can be supported on top of a
cantilevered concrete outstand cast at the top of the ring, as per sketch below:
In cohesive soils the trimmer beams are suggested to pick up the floor to make
the floor and cellar independent.
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10. Temporary Works
Sequence as follows:
2. All the steel sheets should be bolted / connected together as per manufacturer’s
guidance.
3. The excavation should continue following points 1-2 to the required depth.
4. When the excavation is completed the steel shuttering should be propped with 3 x
50011 Type props as per Diagram 1, 2 prior the installation of concrete structure by
Spiral Cellar Ltd Team.
5. Any gaps between shuttering and excavation to be filled with lean mix cement
Installation – Stage 6
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Excavation and Propping Sequence – Stage 1-2:
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Excavation and Propping Sequence – Stage 3-4:
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Excavation and Propping Sequence – Stage 5:
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Excavation and Propping Sequence – Stage 5:
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Installation – Stage 6:
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Temporary works - Milton RINGS
In new builds where access is not an issue and machinery can be used for excavation a
prefabricated concrete ring can be used as shuttering during excavation.
The standard concrete ring and concrete base still have to be cast to provide water
uplift resistance and unified structure for varied surcharged loads from foundations.
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Calculations - Example
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