Seismic Analysis of Cylindrical Liquid Storage Tank

Liquid storage tanks are used in industries for storing chemicals, petroleum products, and for storing water in public water distribution systems. Behaviour of Cylindrical liquid storage tanks under earthquake loads has been studied as per Draft code Part II of IS 18932002. A FEM based computer software (STAAD -PRO) used for seismic analysis of tanks which gives the earthquake induced forces on tank systems. Draft code Part II of IS 18932002 which will contain provisions for all types of liquid storage tanks. Under earthquake loads, a complicated pattern of stresses is generated in the tanks. Poorly designed tanks have leaked, buckled or even collapsed during earthquakes. Common modes of failure are wall buckling, sloshing damage to roof, inlet/outlet pipe breaks and implosion due to rapid loss of contents. In this research, a circular cylindrical elevated water tank, with 500 cubic meters capacity is analysed by using finite modelling techniques. This paper presents the study of seismic performance of the elevated water tanks for various heights and various seismic zones of India. The effect of height of water tank, earthquake zones on earthquake forces have been presented in this paper with the help of analysis of 20 models for same parameters. Analysis is carried out by using finite element software STAAD-PRO.