Comparative analysis of different numerical models of a steel radial gate

Hydrotechnical structures are important components in water management system and general flooding safety. Their reliability should be ensured since potential damage might lead to catastrophic consequences. Weir gates are considered to be highly vulnerable elements of each hydro power plant, with regard to its dynamic resistance. The aim of the paper is to compare different numerical models and their influence on the results of a computational modal analysis of a steel radial gate. The investigation has been conducted for models using beam and shell elements, while assuring the same geometry, material properties and boundary conditions. The results of the comparative computational analysis indicate that the eigenmode shapes are similar for both models, while the corresponding eigenfrequencies are considerably different. These differences are important from the point of view of dynamic analysis, especially that the first eigenfrequency falls within the energy range typical for earthquakes and mining tremors.