High Strengh Steels

The third international conference on high strength steels for hydro power plants focused on the design concepts of pressure conduits in September 2013. Penstocks of hydropower plants are nowadays usually made of high strength steels (HSS). Diameters of about 12m and more lead to steel structures which are no longer just usual pipes, but are large welded shell structures with cylindrical or conical, possibly ring-stiffened forms in ducts, bends, manifolds or surge tank components. On the other hand, the structural behavior present when there is interaction of the steel liner with the rock mass in underground penstocks leads to design conditions which call for the close collaboration of rock mechanics and geotechnical engineers. The design of special parts of linings as branch pipes and miter bends under internal pressure is usually based on the assumption of self-supporting conditions.