IITK-GSDMA Guidelines for seismic design

of liquid storage tanks

Reference example for Lecture 7

Example 2 of IITK-GSDMA Guideline

Example 2/Page 1

IITK-GSDMA Guidelines for seismic design

of liquid storage tanks

Example 2 Elevated Intze Tank Supported on 6 Column RC Staging

2. Problem Statement:
An intze shape water container of 250 m 3 capacity is supported on RC staging of 6 columns with horizontal
bracings of 300 x 600 mm at three levels. Details of staging configuration are shown in Figure 2.1. Staging
conforms to ductile detailing as per IS 13920. Grade of concrete and steel are M20 and Fe415, respectively.
Tank is located on hard soil in seismic zone IV. Density of concrete is 25 kN/m 3. Analyze the tank for
seismic loads.

Solution:
Tank must be analysed for tank full and empty conditions.

2.1.

Preliminary Data

Details of sizes of various components and geometry are shown in Table 2.1 and Figure 2.1.
Table 2.1 Sizes of various components
Component

Size (mm)

Top Dome

120 thick

Top Ring Beam

250 x 300

Cylindrical Wall

200 thick

Bottom Ring Beam

500 x 300

Circular Ring Beam

500 x 600

Bottom Dome

200 thick

Conical Dome

250 thick

Braces

300 x 600

Columns

650 dia.

Example 2/Page 2

IITK-GSDMA Guidelines for seismic design

of liquid storage tanks

2.2.

Weight calculations
Table 2.2 Weight of various components
Components

Top Dome

Calculations

Weight (kN)

Radius of dome,r1 = [((8.8/2)2 / 1.69) + 1.69)] / 2 = 6.57

209.3

2 x x 6.57 x 1.69 x (0.12 x 25)

Top Ring Beam

x (8.6 + 0.25) x 0.25 x 0.30 x 25

52.1

Cylindrical Wall

x 8.8 x 0.20 x 4.0 x 25

552.9

Bottom Ring Beam

x (8.6 + 0.5) x 0.5 x 0.30 x 25

107.2

Circular Ring Beam

x 6.28 x 0.50 x 0.60 x 25

Bottom Dome

Radius of dome, r2 = [(6.28/2)2 /1.40) + 1.40] / 2 = 4.22

148
185.6

2 x x 4.22 x 1.40 x 0.20 x 25

Conical Dome

Length of Cone, Lc = (1.652 + 1.412)1/2 = 2.17

321.3

x ((8.80 + 6.28) / 2.0) x 2.17 x 0.25 x 25

Water

[ ( x 8.62 x 3.7 /4) +( x1.5( 8.62 + 5.632 + (8.6 x 5.63)) / 12

2,508

- ( x 1.3 x (3 x 4.22 -1.5) / 3) ] x 9.81

2

Columns

x (0.65)2 x 15.7 x 6 x 25 / 4

782

Braces

3.14 x 0.30 x 0.60 x 3 x 6 x 25

254

Note: - i) Wherever floor finish and plaster is provided, their weights should be included in the weight
calculations.
ii) No live load is considered on roof slab and gallery for seismic load computations.
iii) Water load is considered as dead load.
iv) For seismic analysis, free board is not included in depth of water.
From Table 2.2,
Weight of empty container = 209.3 + 52.1+ 552.9 + 107.2 + 148 + 185.6 + 321.3 = 1,576 kN
Weight of staging

= 782 + 254 = 1,036 kN

Hence, weight of empty container + one third weight of staging = 1,576 + 1,036 / 3 = 1,921 kN

Example 2/Page 3

IITK-GSDMA Guidelines for seismic design

of liquid storage tanks

Top dome 120 thick

1750

Top ring beam (250 x 300)

300
300

Wall 200 thick

3700
8600

Bottom ring beam (500 x 300)

300

Bottom dome 200 thick

1500

Conical dome 250 thick

Circular ring beam (500 x 600)

4000

Bracing (300 x 600)

4000

Column (650)

16300

4000
GL

Top of footing

3140
(a) Elevation
Y

650 dia column

3140
(b) Plan of staging
(All dimensions in mm)
Figure 2.1: Details of tank geometry

Example 2/Page 4

4000

2.3.

Center of Gravity of Empty Container

Components of empty container are: top dome, top ring beam, cylindrical wall, bottom ring beam, bottom
dome, conical dome and circular ring beam. With reference to Figure 2.2,
Height of CG of empty container above top of circular ring beam,
= [(209.3 x 7.22) + (52.1 x 5.9) + (552.9 x 3.8) + (107.2 x 1.65)
+ (321.3 x 1) + (185.6 x 0.92) (148 x 0.3)] / 1,576
= 2.88 m
Height of CG of empty container from top of footing, hcg = 16.3 + 2.88 = 19.18 m.
Y
1750

Top Dome
Top Ring Beam

300
8600

Wall

4000

CG
Bottom Ring Beam

2880

Bottom Dome

300
1500

Conical Dome

600

Circular Ring Beam

(All Dimensions in mm)

Figure 2.2 Details of tank container

2.4.

Parameters of Spring Mass Model

Total weight of water = 2,508 kN = 25,08,000 N.

mc = 0.43 x 2,55,658 = 1,09,933 kg

Volume of water = 2,508 / 9.81 = 255.65 m3

hi / h = 0.375; hi = 0.375 x 4.4 = 1.65 m

Mass of water, m = 2,55,658 kg.

hi* / h = 0.78; hi* = 0.78 x 4.4 = 3.43 m

Inner diameter of tank, D = 8.6 m.

hc / h = 0.61;

For obtaining parameters of spring mass model,

an equivalent circular container of same volume
and diameter equal to diameter of tank at top level
of liquid will be considered.

hc* / h = 0.78; hc* = 0.78 x 4.4 = 3.43 m.

( Section 4.2.3)
Let h be the height of equivalent circular cylinder,
(D /2)2 h = 255.65
h = 255.65 / [ x (8.6 / 2)2] = 4.4 m
For h / D = 4.4 / 8.6 = 0.51,
m i / m = 0.55;

hc = 0.61 x 4.4 = 2.68 m

( Section 4.2.1)

About 55% of liquid mass is excited in impulsive

mode while 43% liquid mass participates in
convective mode. Sum of impulsive and
convective mass is 2,50,545 kg which is about 2
% less than the total mass of liquid.
Mass of empty container + one third mass of
staging,
ms = ( 1,576 + 1,036 / 3 ) x (1,000 / 9.81)
= 1,95,821 kg.

mi = 0.55 x 2,55,658 = 1,40,612 kg

mc /m = 0.43;

Example 2/Page 5

2.5.

Lateral Stiffness of Staging

Lateral stiffness of staging is defined as the force

required to be applied at the CG of tank so as to
get a corresponding unit deflection. As per
Section 4.3.1.3, CG of tank is the combined CG
of empty container and impulsive mass. However,
in this example, CG of tank is taken as CG of
empty container.
Finite element software is used to model the
staging (Refer Figure 2.3). Modulus of elasticity
f ck =
for M20 concrete is obtained as 5,000
20 = 22,360 MPa or 22.36 x 106
5,000 x
2
kN/m . Since container portion is quite rigid, a
rigid link is assumed from top of staging to the
CG of tank. In FE model of staging, length of
rigid link is = 2.88 + 0.3 = 3.18 m.
From the analysis deflection of CG of tank due to
an arbitrary 10 kN force is obtained as
5.616E-04 m.
Thus, lateral stiffness of staging, Ks
= 10 / (5.616E-04) = 17,800 kN/m

2.6.

Time Period

Time period of impulsive mode,

mi m s
Ks

Ti = 2
= 2

( Section 4.3.1.3)

1,40,612 1,95,821
178.0 10 5

= 0.86 sec.
Time period of convective mode,
Tc = C c

D
g

For h / D = 0.51, Cc = 3.35

( Section 4.3.2.2 (a))
8.6
= 3.14 sec.
9.81

Thus, Tc = 3.35

2.7. Design Horizontal Seismic

Coefficient

Stiffness of this type of staging can also be

obtained using method described by Sameer and
Jain (1992).

Design horizontal
impulsive mode,

Here analysis of staging is being performed for

earthquake loading in X-direction. However, for
some members of staging, earthquake loading in
Y-direction will be critical, as described in
Section 4.8.2.

(Ah)i =

Z I Sa

2 R g

seismic

coefficient

for

( Sections 4.5 and 4.5.1)

Where,
Z = 0.24

(IS 1893(Part 1): Table 2; Zone IV)

I = 1.5

( Table 1)

Since staging has special moment resisting frames

(SMRF), R is taken as 2.5
( Table 2)
Here, Ti = 0.86 sec,
Site has hard soil,
Damping = 5%,

( Section 4.4)

Hence, (Sa /g) i = 1.16

(IS 1893(Part 1): Figure 2)
(Ah)i =

0.24 1.5

1.16 = 0.084
2
2. 5

Design horizontal
convective mode,
Figure 2.3 FE model of staging

seismic

coefficient

for

(Ah)c =

Z I Sa

2 R g

( Sections 4.5 and

2.9. Base Moment

4.5.1)

Overturning moment at the base of staging in

impulsive mode,

Where,

Mi* = (Ah)i [ mi ( hi* + hs ) + ms hcg ] g

Z = 0.24

( Section 4.7.2)

(IS 1893(Part 1): Table 2; Zone IV)

For convective mode, value of R is taken same as

that for impulsive mode as per Section 4.5.1.

= 0.084 x [1,40,612 x (3.43 + 16.3)

Here, Tc = 3.14 sec,

= 5,381 kN-m

Site has hard soil,

Damping = 0.5%,

( Section 4.4)

Hence, as per Section 4.5.3 and IS 1893(Part 1):

2002, Figure 2

+ (1,95,821 x 19.18)] x 9.81

Similarly, overturning moment in convective
mode,
Mc* = (Ah) c mc ( hc* + hs ) g
( Section 4.7.2)

(Sa /g)c = 1.75 x 0.318 = 0.56

= 0.040 x 1,09,933 x (3.43 + 16.3) x 9.81

Multiplying factor of 1.75 is used to obtain Sa /g

values for 0.5% damping from that for 5%
damping.

= 852 kN-m
Total overturning moment,

( Section 4.5.4)
0.24 1.5

0.56 = 0.040
(Ah)c =
2
2.5

2.8.

Base Shear

Base shear at the bottom of staging, in impulsive

mode,
Vi = (Ah)i (mi +ms) g

( Section 4.6.2)

= 0.084 x (1,40,612 + 1,95,821) x 9.81

= 277 kN
Similarly, base shear in convective mode,
Vc = (Ah)c mc g

( Section 4.6.2)

= 0.040 x 1,09,933 x 9.81

277

43

5,381

( Section 4.7.3)

852

= 5,448 kN-m.
Note: Hydrodynamic pressure calculations will be
similar to those shown in Example 1 and hence
are not included here.

2.10. Sloshing Wave Height

dmax = ( Ah)c R D / 2

( Section 4.11)

= 0.040 x 2.5 x 8.6 / 2

2.11. Analysis for Tank Empty Condition

Total base shear at the bottom of staging,

*2 *2
Mi Mc

= 0.43 m.

= 43 kN

V = Vi 2 Vc 2
4.6.3)

M* =

( Section
2

= 280 kN.
It may be noted that total lateral base shear is
about 6 % of total seismic weight (4,429 kN) of
tank.

For empty condition, tank will be considered as

single degree of freedom system as described in
Section 4.7.4.
Mass of empty container + one third mass of
staging, ms = 1,95,821 kg.
Stiffness of staging, Ks = 17,800 kN/m.
2.11.1. Time Period
Time period of impulsive mode,
T = Ti = 2

ms
Ks

1,95,821
= 0.66 sec
178.0 105
Empty tank will not convective mode of
vibration.

2.11.3. Base Shear

2.11.2. Design Horizontal Seismic Coefficient

V = Vi = (Ah)i ms g

= 2

Design
horizontal
seismic
coefficient
corresponding to impulsive time period Ti,
(Ah)i =

Z I Sa

2 R g

( Section 4.5)
i

Z = 0.24

(IS 1893(Part 1): Table 2; Zone IV)

I = 1.5

( Table 1)

R = 2.5

( Table 2)

Here, Ti = 0.66 sec,

Site has hard soil,
Damping = 5%,
Hence, (Sa /g)i = 1.52
(IS 1893(Part 1): 2002Figure 2)
0.24 1.5

1.52 = 0.11.
2
2 .5

( Section 4.6.2)

= 0.12 x 1,95,821 x 9.81

= 211 kN.
2.11.4. Base Moment
Total base moment,
M* = (Ah)i ms hcg g

Where,

(Ah)i =

Total base shear,

( Section 4.7.3)

= 0.11 x 1,95,821 x 19.18 x 9.81

= 4,053 kN-m
Since total base shear (280 kN) and base moment
(5,448 kN-m) in tank full condition are more than
base shear (211 kN) and base moment
(4,053 kN-m) in tank empty condition, design will
be governed by tank full condition.