Abstract: To study the influence of v-frame column support on the seismic performance of natural draft cooling towers, based on the concrete damaged plasticity model, a three-dimensional solid finite element model was built with using the general finite element software ABAQUS, considering the constructional reinforcement. Then the time history analysis under seismic excitation was carried out. The influence of v-frame column supports with different crotch distance and different number of columns on the seismic performance of cooling tower structure was studied, through the analysis on the statistic result of the tensile damage variable of column nodes at seismic weak parts of cooling tower. It is concluded that: for the v-frame column support cooling tower, the seismic performance is promoted while the crotch distance is reduced； it is benefit for the seismic performance by increasing the number of columns, without considering the effects of other factors, such as wind resistance.

Key words: cooling tower, seismic response, concrete damaged plasticity model, v-frame column support, tensile damage variable