An Investigation on Seismic Behaviours of Vertical and Horizontal Cylindrical Liquid Storage Tanks

Abstract

Storage tanks are structures widely used in industrial facilities for storing products such as oil, petroleum, and chemical liquids. Ensuring the protection of flammable and hazardous materials in these tanks during events like earthquakes and tsunamis is of utmost importance. Otherwise, even a minor external impact can lead to leakage, spills, or overflow of the liquid, which can easily ignite and result in larger disasters such as fires and explosions. Numerous instances of such incidents have been witnessed worldwide during past earthquakes. Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly analyse the seismic behaviour of these structures and carefully design them to be earthquake resistant. In this study, the behaviour of horizontal cylindrical liquid storage tanks under the effect of various earthquake records was examined, and calculations were performed for the anchors in the supporting saddles. Furthermore, the damage observed in vertical cylindrical storage tanks during the Kahramanmaras earthquakes on February 6, 2023, was investigated, and analytical studies using finite element modelling demonstrated the ability to simulate the observed damage. This outcome highlights the effectiveness of the conducted finite element analyses in obtaining results that closely resemble reality.