SUMMARYA method for analyzing the earthquake response of elastic, cylindrical liquid storage tanks under vertical excitations is presented. The method is based on superposition of the free axisymmetrical vibrational modes obtained numerically by the finite element method. The validity of these modes has been checked analytically and the formulation of the load vector has been confirmed by a static analysis. Two forms of ground excitations have been used: step functions and recorded seismic components. The radial and axial displacements are computed and the corresponding stresses are presented. Both fixed and partly fixed tanks are considered to evaluate the effect of base fixation on tank behaviour. Finally, tank response under the simultaneous action of both vertical and lateral excitations is calculated to evaluate the relative importance of the vertical component of ground acceleration on the overall seismic behaviour of liquid storage tanks.

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