Use of Numerical Modeling to Interpret the Behavior of a Large Storage Tank

Numerical modeling is used in this study to examine the mechanisms of deformation and failure of a large above-ground storage tank, known as tank no. ۳۹, located in eastern Venezuela. This tank tilted severely and collapsed during the hydro-test program. Numerical analysis results revealed that the interpretations and conclusions stated in the main reference that reported this event are not consistent with the current modeling results, and the failure and deformation mechanisms differ from those stated in the mentioned reference. This issue was also raised by other researchers who used analytical rather than numerical methods to analyze the failure mechanism. Due to the scarcity of sufficient soil data, some modeling parameters were estimated using back-analyses. The current research indicates that evaluating ۳D problems using ۲D analyses can result in misleading conclusions for such large circular foundations placed on stratified soils. It is concluded that since steel storage tanks are often built in coastal areas with high water table and unfavorable subsoil conditions, numerical modeling is a more reliable tool for providing insight into the behavior of such structures and for evaluating their failure mechanism, settlements, and horizontal deformations.

کلیدواژه ها:

Tank ، Foundation ، Numerical modeling ، Settlement