Istituto Universitario Università degli Studi

di Studi Superiori di Pavia di Pavia

Short Course on

SEISMIC DESIGN OF TANKS

Pavia, May 5-9, 2014
• BACKGROUND
The susceptibility of steel and concrete storage tanks, rigid and flexible, under/above ground and ele-
vated, to earthquake event has been demonstrated in numerous earthquakes such as those in Alaska
(1964), Japan (Nigata 1964, Kobe, 1995), California (San Fernando 1971, Imperial Valley, 1979, Loma
Prieta 1989, Northridge, 1994) and even more recently, 20th and 29th of Mai 2012, in Emilia-Romagna,
Italy. The seismic performance of storage tanks is of major importance not only for the economic value
of the structures and their contents but also because frequently they are crucial for the management and
functioning of emergency services after seismic events. Interruption in the delivery of oil products or water
could limit the effectiveness of services such as hospitals or fire stations that depend upon these products.
For example, during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the lack of water supply after the earthquake
caused a major fire that resulted in more damage than the earthquake itself. The failure of tanks containing
highly inflammable petroleum products could lead to extensive uncontrolled fires, like those that occurred
following the Niigata and Alaska earthquakes of 1964. The spillage of liquefied gases or toxic chemi-
cals from containment structures damaged by an earthquake could also result in the release of danger-
ous substances or gases with dramatic effects for the population and the environment. Therefore,
understanding modern approaches to seismic analysis and design of tanks can be very valuable to struc-
tural engineers and researchers who would like to have a better grasp on design and performance of these
strategic infrastructures.

• OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE

The main objective of this course is to familiarize students with the state-of-the-art in seismic analysis and
design of slender-to-squat tanks from an international perspective. At the end of the course, students
should be able to:
n classify the various types of tanks (above and underground, elevated, steel, ordinary reinforced and

prestressed) and components (roofs, connections, pipelines, walls, etc.) and understand their perform-
ance during recent earthquake;
n understand common equivalent mechanical models used in the analysis and design of tanks;

n perform preliminary design and analysis of various structural tank typologies according to the major

international codes/guidelines/recommendations such as: API 650 and 620, AWWA (D100, D103,
D110, D115), Eurocode 8 Part 4 (and Eurocode 3), UNI EN 14015, Covenin, IITK, ACI (350.3, 371.R),
NZSEE, AIJ;
n develop analytical models for tanks using state-of-the-art structural analysis matlab programs;

n understand and apply correctly current international codes, regulations, guidelines and recommendations for

the seismic design, analysis and verification of tanks in North/South America, Japan and Europe;
n effectively participate in structural analysis, design and verification of tanks for specified earthquake

performance objectives at structural and component levels;

n be familiar with the seismic numerical advanced explicit nonlinear analyses of specific tanks through

the review of research case studies;

The course is structured to offer an optimum trade-off between the formal development of the theories and
their practical implementation through specific numerical Matlab codes always emphasizing their range
of applicability and possible extensions. The course alternates between theoretical/analytical lectures,
solutions of practical problems and design of real case tanks. It is believed that the course will offer the
participants a unique opportunity to be exposed to advanced topics in tanks analysis and design in a uni-
fied framework within the context of earthquake engineering.

• PARTICIPATION
In addition to UME School students, a maximum of 20 external participants may be accepted to the
course, under the payment of a 500€ fee. Special financial conditions are, however, in place for University
researchers or students, to whom a fee of not more than 300€ is requested. Those wishing to attend the
course should contact the UME School Secretariat.

• CONTACTS
UME School Secretariat
c/o EUCENTRE Foundation - Via Adolfo Ferrata, 1 - 27100 Pavia, Italy
Phone (+39) 0382.5169867 - E-mail: secretariat@umeschool.it - Web-site: www.umeschool.it

• ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Roberto Nascimbene
is a Researcher at the Structural Analysis Area of the European
Centre for Training and Research in Earthquake Engineering (EU-
CENTRE). He graduated in Civil Engineering from University of
Pavia, Department of Structural Mechanics. Then he completed
the PhD in Structural Engineering in 2001 at the Department of
Structural Mechanics in Pavia. Actually he is Adjunct Professor of
“Design of shell structures” at the University of Pavia, Faculty of
Engineering. He has authored more than 60 publications (jour-
nal and conference papers) in the field of computational me-
chanics and earthquake engineering; he is a member of the
technical committee Eurocode 3 Part 1-6, CEN TC250 SC3 Evo-
lution Groups together with the ECCS TWG8.4 on Shell Buck-
ling. Among the most relevant activities developed in the past:
numerical evaluation of the vulnerability of reinforced concrete
existing buildings, seismic analyses of steel, precast and wood
structures, advanced finite element and fibre models applied to
structures, sub-assemblies and connections, seismic design and
numerical investigation of tanks behaviour.
• COURSE SCHEDULE May 5-9, 2014
The Course alternates between theoretical lectures, applications to real cases and solutions by the atten-
dees of practical problems. We recommend the attendees to bring with them a portable pc with Matlab
installed because these tutorials will be built and run directly on the pc.

Monday 5
09:00-12:00 and 14:00-18:00
Morning Session: Introduction to the Short Course
n Scope of the Course.

n Introducing Codes, Guidelines, Recommendations, Specifications.

n Eurocode 8 Part 4, Eurocode 3 Part 1.6, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, API, ACI, AWWA,

Covenin, NZSEE, IITK, AIJ

n Analyses, design and verification: steel, ordinary concrete and prestressed

concrete.

Afternoon Session: Basics in analytical models: rigid tanks above ground

n Equivalent mechanical models for rigid tanks.

n Impulsive and convective components. Sloshing effects and wave height.

n Masses, heights, shear at the base, overturning moments.

n Application examples using Matlab Codes.

Tuesday 6
09:00-12:00 and 14:00-18:00
Morning Session: Seismic input: fundamentals
n Period of vibration: impulsive and convective motion.

n Soil-structure interaction: basics.

n Sloshing effects and fluid actions: damping and kinematic viscosity.

n Displacement and acceleration spectra.

Afternoon Session: Application examples (using Matlab Codes) to steel and concrete tanks above
ground
n Circular cylindrical steel tank: basic for static design and seismic verification.

n Fundamentals of buckling verification: elasto-plastic (elephant-foot) and elas-

tic (diamond) buckling. Buckling at the top and impact of the wave on the roof.
n Rectangular reinforced concrete containment: basic for static design and seis-

mic verification.
Wednesday 7
09:00-12:00 and 14:00-18:00
Morning Session: Elevated tanks: fundamentals
n Typologies: geometry, material and technology.
n Equivalent mechanical models for elevated tanks.

n Impulsive and convective components. Masses, heights, shear at the base, over-

turning moments.
n Single dof model, uncoupled and coupled mdof models.

Afternoon Session: Application examples (using Matlab Codes) to steel and concrete elevated tanks
n Steel cylindrical elevated tank with a supporting concentric brace frame.
n Concrete elevated tank (Intze type) on a uniform support pile.

n Application examples using Matlab Codes.

Thursday 8
09:00-12:00 and 14:00-18:00
Morning Session: Flexible steel tanks: fundamentals
n Equivalent mechanical models for flexible tanks: Haroun and Housner proce-
dure.
n Eurocode 8 Part 4 methodology. Simplified Malhotra approach.

n Impulsive and convective components. Masses, heights, shear at the base, over-

turning moments.
n Application examples using Matlab Codes. Basic in finite element analyses:

explicit dynamic, ALE formulation, SPH and fluid-structure interaction.

Afternoon Session: Setting Up Class Projects

n Define and assign tank projects to be used for static design, analysis, and seis-
mic design to students or student groups.
n Students will work on their projects during the course workshop days under

supervision and assistance of the instructors.

Friday 9
09:00-12:00 and 14:00-18:00
Morning Session: Class Project Workshop (Part I)
n Preliminary design and seismic analyses.

Afternoon Session: Class Project Workshop (Part II)

n Design consideration and seismic verification.

n Students present and discuss their projects and findings

The European Commission has approved and financed within the Erasmus Mundus II the Masters on Earthquake
Engineering and Engineering Seismology (MEEES), coordinated by the UME School as part of the ROSE
programme and featuring also the participation of the University of Grenoble Joseph Fourier (France), the
University of Patras (Greece) and the Middle East Technical University (Turkey), which aims to enhance quality in
European higher education and to promote intercultural understanding through co-operation with third countries,
a relatively large number of scholarships are available for both non-European as well as European students.
Interested applicants are invited to visit the MEEES website (www.meees.org) for detailed information and
instructions on financial conditions and application procedures.