Analysis of structural solutions of reinforced concrete tanks used in agricultural farms

Abstract

The article presents the types of the most common underground or partially sunken tanks used on farms. The analyzed tanks were designed for the storage of zoonotic fertilizers. Solid or semi-liquid fertilizers should be stored in livestock premises in sealed tanks, protected from leakage into the ground. Basic static schemes of tanks and types of loads acting on tanks were considered. The durability and leak-tightness of the tanks were also addressed, and the insulation used to protect the walls and bottom plate of the tanks was discussed. A computational example presents the values of loads acting on the various elements of the tank at two computational schemes, and compares the results obtained by two computational methods, i.e., the separated plate method and the finite element method. The discrepancies in the obtained results were pointed out. Recommendations were formulated for the design of tanks in terms of meeting the tightness criterion. FEM calculations were made for two cases: with and without consideration of the soil stiffness.