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/m3. 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.

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2.2. Weight calculations

Table 2.2 Weight of various components

Components Calculations Weight (kN)

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

1 Top Dome 2 x π x 6.57 x 1.69 x (0.12 x 25) 209.3

2 Top Ring Beam π x (8.6 + 0.25) x 0.25 x 0.30 x 25 52.1
3 Cylindrical Wall π x 8.8 x 0.20 x 4.0 x 25 552.9
4 Bottom Ring Beam π x (8.6 + 0.5) x 0.5 x 0.30 x 25 107.2
5 Circular Ring Beam π x 6.28 x 0.50 x 0.60 x 25 148
Radius of dome, r2 = [(6.28/2)2 /1.40) + 1.40] / 4.22
2 = 4.22

6 Bottom Dome 2 x π x 4.22 x 1.40 x 0.20 x 25 185.6

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

7 Conical Dome π x ((8.80 + 6.28) / 2.0) x 2.17 x 0.25 x 25 321.3

8 Water [ (π x 8.62 x 3.7 /4) +( π x1.5( 8.62 + 5.632 + 2,508

(8.6 x 5.63)) / 12

9 Columns π x (0.65)2 x 15.7 x 6 x 25 / 4 782

10 Braces 3.14 x 0.30 x 0.60 x 3 x 6 x 25 254
Note: - i) Wherever floor finish and plaster are 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

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 GUIDELINES FOR SEISMIC DESIGN OF LIQUID STORAGE TANKS

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, h cg = 16.3 + 2.88 = 19.18 m.

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2.4. Parameters of Spring Mass Model

Total weight of water = 2,508 kN = 25,08,000 N.
Volume of water = 2,508 / 9.81 = 255.65 m3
Mass of water, m = 2,55,658 kg.
Inner diameter of tank, D = 8.6 m.
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.
( Section 4.2.3)
Let h be the height of equivalent circular cylinder,
π (D /2)2 h = 255.65
h = 255.65 / [π x (8.6 / 2)2] = 4.4 m
For h / D = 4.4 / 8.6 = 0.51,
m i / m = 0.55;
mi = 0.55 x 2,55,658 = 1,40,612 kg
mc /m = 0.43;

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

hi / h = 0.375; hi = 0.375 x 4.4 = 1.65 m
hi* / h = 0.78; hi* = 0.78 x 4.4 = 3.43 m
hc / h = 0.61; hc = 0.61 x 4.4 = 2.68 m
hc* / h = 0.78; hc* = 0.78 x 4.4 = 3.43 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.

2.5. Lateral Stiffness of Staging

Lateral stiffness of staging is defined as the force required to be applied at the CG of tank 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 for M20
concrete is obtained as 5,000 = 5,000 x = 22,360 MPa or 22.36 x 10 6 kN/m2. 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.

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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
Stiffness of this type of staging can also be obtained using method described by Sameer and Jain
(1992).
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.

Figure 2.3 FE model of staging

2.6. Time Period

Time period of impulsive mode,

Ti = ( Section 4.3.1.3)

= 0.86 sec.
Time period of convective mode,

Tc =

For h / D = 0.51, Cc = 3.35

( Section 4.3.2.2 (a))

Thus, Tc = = 3.14 sec.

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 GUIDELINES FOR SEISMIC DESIGN OF LIQUID STORAGE TANKS

2.7. Design Horizontal Seismic Coefficient

Design horizontal seismic coefficient for impulsive mode,

(Ah)i =

( 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 = = 0.084

Design horizontal seismic coefficient for convective mode,

(Ah)c = ( Sections 4.5 and 4.5.1)

Where,
Z = 0.24 (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.
Here, Tc = 3.14 sec,
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
(Sa /g)c = 1.75 x 0.318 = 0.56
Multiplying factor of 1.75 is used to obtain S a /g values for 0.5% damping from that for 5% damping.
( Section 4.5.4)

(Ah)c = = 0.040

2.8. Base Shear

Base shear at the bottom of staging, in impulsive mode,
Vi = (Ah)i (mi +ms) g ( Section 4.6.2)

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= 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
= 43 kN
Total base shear at the bottom of staging,

V= ( Section 4.6.3)

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

2.9. Base Moment

Overturning moment at the base of staging in impulsive mode,
Mi* = (Ah)i [ mi ( hi* + hs ) + ms hcg ] g
( Section 4.7.2)
= 0.084 x [1,40,612 x (3.43 + 16.3)
+ (1,95,821 x 19.18)] x 9.81
= 5,381 kN-m
Similarly, overturning moment in convective mode,
Mc* = (Ah) c mc ( hc* + hs ) g
( Section 4.7.2)
= 0.040 x 1,09,933 x (3.43 + 16.3) x 9.81
= 852 kN-m
Total overturning moment,
M* = ( Section 4.7.3)

=
= 5,448 kN-m.
Note: Hydrodynamic pressure calculations will be like 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
= 0.43 m.

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2.11. Analysis for Tank Empty Condition

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, m s = 1,95,821 kg.
Stiffness of staging, Ks = 17,800 kN/m.

2.11.1. Time Period

Time period of impulsive mode,

T = Ti =

= = 0.66 sec

Empty tank will not convective mode of vibration.

2.11.2. Design Horizontal Seismic Coefficient

Design horizontal seismic coefficient corresponding to impulsive time T i,

(Ah)i = ( Section 4.5)

Where,
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)

(Ah)i = = 0.11.

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2.11.3. Base Shear

Total base shear,
V = Vi = (Ah)i ms g ( 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 ( 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.

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