A study of the collapse of a WWII communications antenna using numerical simulations based on design of experiments by FEM

Abstract In this work numerical structural analysis by the finite element method (FEM) is used in order to study the structural collapse of a Second World War (WWII) lattice tower. The study is divided into two different stages: a forensic pre-diagnostic stage (first) and pathologic analysis and diagnostic stage (second). In the first stage, the causes and the origin of the collapse are determined based on only on the symptoms. In the second stage the failure mechanics are established and these are proven. The entire FEM model is built through beam elements and the design of experiments (DOE) method was employed to limit the number of simulations required, significantly saving on the computational time needed to arrive at a diagnostic. Based on analytical results, it is concluded that the main variables in the structural collapse are: the corrosion of the wire ropes and the wind load. A buckling analysis, both linear and nonlinear, is also carried out to verify and to check that the collapse hypothesis for the communications tower is right. Finally the conclusions of this study are given.