Innovative Design Concept of Cooling Water Tanks/Basins in Geothermal Power Plants Using Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete with Enhanced Durability

The structure presented in this paper is intended to be used as a prototype reservoir for collecting water coming from the cooling tower of geothermal plant, and primarily designed compare performance different materials (traditional reinforced concrete Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC)) well assess structural solutions (wall with constant thickness versus wall provided stiffening buttresses). In absence specific code provisions, given novelty UHPFRC used, main properties design were determined through dedicated experimental campaign (tensile/flexural shrinkage). focus was on Serviceability Limit States, more specifically requirements regarding tightness. Given rather simple layout, especially compartments where no buttresses are present, linear elastic analysis determine internal actions. nonlinear behavior ensuing peculiar tensile constitutive response material taken into account locally, order stress level, depth compression zone crack width. finally compared reference compartment (made ordinary concrete), on-site observations measurements.