Comparison of Allowable Axial Stress Provisions of Cylindrical Liquid Storage Tanks under Seismic Excitation

Abstract

-Stability of cylindrical liquid storage tanks under seismic excitation could prevent catastrophic disaster of human life and economic loss. Domestic provisions on allowable compressive stress in tank walls to prohibit buckling failure are either incomplete or inconsistent, so foreign specifications such as API 650, BS EN 1998-4:2006 or New Zealand Standards are employed in stability design. In this study, response spectrum analyses are performed for plant tanks having different ratios of height to diameter or diameter to thickness to calculate hydrodynamic pressure on tank walls. Then nonlinear buckling analyses are conducted to estimate magnitude of buckling stress. By comparing analysis results with those from foreign design specifications, appropriate domestic design provisions are suggested.