Wind-resistant design theory and safety guarantee for large oil and gas storage tanks in coastal areas

Abstract

Large oil and gas storage tanks serve as crucial industrial energy infrastructures, which are usually thin-walled steel structures with large volumes and light weights, and they are sensitive to wind loads. Under the influence of strong winds or typhoons, large oil and gas storage tanks may suffer wind-induced damage, resulting in the leakage of gas or liquid inside the tanks, posing hazards to the ecological environment and public safety. Therefore, it is of great theoretical and engineering significance to research the wind resistance of large oil and gas storage tanks. This paper provides a comprehensive review of key issues in wind resistance for large oil and gas storage tanks, including characteristics of flow around circular cylinders, wind effects on structures with circular cross-sections, near-surface wind field characteristics, wind effects on large oil and gas storage tanks, wind-induced interference effects, structural dynamic characteristics, wind loads and wind-induced response calculations, multiple load effects, and wind-induced vibration control. The deficiencies of current research are summarized. The prospects for research on the design theory and safety assurance of large oil and gas storage tanks are presented through various methods, including field measurements of near-surface wind fields and wind effects, wind tunnel tests utilizing aeroelastic models, numerical simulations involving fluid–solid coupling, theoretical analysis, and machine learning.