Abstract: For the high strength reinforced concrete arc shaft wall, its mechanical characteristics including the radial displacement, the concrete stress, the reinforcing steel bar stress, the load carrying capacity and the position of crushing zone are analyzed by experiment and finite element calculation under uniform load. The results show that the radial displacement of the arc component is very small. The load under which the reinforcing steel bar is beginning to yield is 60 % of its load carrying capacity. The larger the ultimate uniaxial compressive strength of concrete, the higher is the carrying capacity of the high strength reinforced concrete arc shaft wall. As the strength grade of concrete increases 10 MPa, its carrying capacity raises 1.26 MPa. The crushing zones are both end of the arc component. So we design the arc shaft wall, both end of the arc component must be strengthened with the steel fiber concrete for enhancing the load carrying capacity of the shaft wall.

Key words: frozen shaft, alluvium, arc shaft wall, mechanical characteristics, ANSYS, finite element