Archive of SID Vol. 21, No.

1, 2019

Vertical Isolation of Seismic Loads in

Aboveground Liquid Storage Tanks

Morteza Moeini 1, Mohammad Reza Nikomanesh 1,

and Mohammad Ali Goudarzi 2*

1. Ph.D. Candidate, International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES),

Tehran, Iran
2. Associate Professor, Structural Engineering Research Center, International Institute of
Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES), Tehran, Iran
* Corresponding Author; email: [email protected]
Received: 24/06/2018
Accepted: 13/08/2018

AB S T RA CT
This paper introduces an improved isolation system for aboveground storage
tanks (ASTs). In this system, the tank shell is supported by a ring of vertical isolation
systems (VIS) that dampen the rocking motion of the tank shell caused by dynamic
loads. On the other hand, the forces in the vertical direction caused by the over-
turning moment are isolated as an alternative to the common horizontal system
used for shear base isolation of ASTs. The effects of the proposed vertical isolation
system on the seismic responses of the contained liquid are examined using various
tank dimensions and earthquake ground motions. The finite element model (taking
into account fluid-structure interaction effects) is used to simulate the contained
Keywords: liquid, as well as the tank shell. The results indicate that the new system could
Liquid storage tank; efficiently reduce the main seismic design parameters of the tanks, including base
Isolating system; FEM; shear, overturning moment, and seismic stress in the tank shell. The sloshing
Seismic design; Sloshing wave height, however, is not significantly affected.

1. Introduction
Storage tanks are key components of lifeline tanks. Isolating systems improve the overall per-
systems such as water supply and oil facilities, and formance of structures. Isolation as a moderate
thus, the seismic safety of liquid storage tanks is of rehabilitation method shift the response of the
considerable important. Maintaining the functionality structure to a higher fundamental period and in-
of liquid storage tanks in the post-earthquake period creases the damping, thus reducing the corres-
is essential in ensuring the supply of water and fuel ponding pseudo-acceleration in the design spectrum
to earthquake-affected regions and in mitigating and attracting smaller earthquake-induced forces.
adverse effects, such as leakage of highly toxic and Then, base isolation is a method to prevent tank
inflammable liquids. While the literature on seismic shell buckling caused by hydrodynamic pressure
analysis of liquid storage tanks is extensive, methods during an earthquake.
of protecting liquid tanks against seismic loads have One of the first studies on the base isolation
rarely been considered. techniques for seismic protection of the liquid
Insufficient performances of anchored and storage tanks was done by Chalhoub and Kelly [1].
unanchored tanks during a past earthquake leads to They tried to experimentally evaluate the behavior
the use of moderate and effective methods in of a base isolated cylindrical water tank. Their
seismic energy dissipating and ductile anchoring of experimental measurements indicated that the

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 Morteza Moeini, Mohammad Reza Nikomanesh, and Mohammad Ali Goudarzi

Archive of SID
hydrodynamic pressures on the tank shell were dimension of the model in order to reduce the
reduced due to the isolation of the tank base. They computational costs of the required analysis. Abali
also developed a theoretical solution from linear and Uçkan [10] investigated the behavior of both
wave theory that was validated by their results [1]. slender and broad tanks equipped with curved
Kim and Lee [2] introduced a semi-dynamic test surface sliding bearings. The study found that a
method for evaluating the seismic performance of friction pendulum system could effectively control
base isolation liquid tanks. They concluded that the seismic responses of the slender tank with
base-isolating properties should be adjusted by respect to the broad tanks. Panchal and Jangid [11]
impulsive hydrodynamic pressures [2]. Park et al. [3] considered the seismic response of liquid storage
considered seismic isolation with pool-type storage steel tanks isolated with variable frequency pen-
tanks. For this purpose, a three-dimensional bound- dulum isolators. Some near-fault ground motions
ary finite element method was used. The study's were applied as excitation records to evaluate the
main conclusion confirmed that the mechanical variation of design parameters. They discussed the
properties of the isolation system are the major effects of far-field ground motions on the seismic
parameter for the reduction value of hydrodynamic behavior of a liquid tank. Soni et al. [12] considered
pressure produced by seismic excitations [3]. Wang another base isolation system, a double variable
et al. [4] investigated the seismic behavior of a frequency pendulum isolator, with liquid storage
liquid tank equipped with friction pendulum bearings. tanks. This system includes a double sliding isolation
They extracted an analytical model for the analysis system with elliptical sliding surfaces. In this study,
of a seismically isolated cylindrical storage tank. the governing equations of motion for an isolated
They also discussed the effects of friction pendu- tank under two horizontal ground excitations were
lum-bearing properties on the dynamic response of a extracted and solved. It was concluded that the
liquid storage tank [4]. Shrimali and Jangid [5] differences between top and bottom sliding surfaces
conducted a comprehensive study of the seismic can noticeably affect the performance of this
behavior of isolated liquid storage tanks. They found isolation system. Zhang et al. [13] also presented
that sliding systems could reduce the seismic response a simplified model of a liquid storage tank with
of liquid tanks considerably [5]. Given the widespread multiple friction pendulum bearings and concluded
use of modal and spectrum analysis for design that the sloshing height would not be amplified by
practice, they also tried to show that the seismic the multiple friction pendulum isolation. Vosoughifar
response of base-isolated tanks could be evaluated and Naderi [14] conducted nonlinear time history
by modal and response spectrum analysis [6]. In analyses to investigate the effect of the rubber
the field of numerical methods, Cho et al. [7] used a isolation on the sloshing displacement and base
numerical model to simulate the seismic response shear response of a rectangular water tank. The
analysis of a base-isolated liquid storage tank. They results indicated that the isolation could reduce the
used a coupled dynamic system in which the finite base shear force, but its effects were not signi-
elements were considered for the tank structure ficant on the liquid sloshing height. Cheng et al.
and boundary elements were used for the liquid part. [15] proposed a simplified model for investigating
The main contribution of this study was to evaluate the new isolating system with sliding base and dis-
the effect of soil flexibility on the seismic behavior placement-limiting devices in rectangular concrete
of a liquid tank. They concluded that radial dis- liquid storage tanks. Their results indicate that the
placements, as well as seismic responses, generally proposed system could prevent the wall cracking
decrease as soil stiffness decreases [7]. and liquid overflow.
Jadhav and Jangid [8] compared the effect of As can be seen in the literature, most studies to
different isolation systems under bi-directional near- date focused on the isolation of base shear caused
fault earthquake on the seismic performance of by hydrodynamic pressures exerted on a tank
liquid storage tanks. Shekari et al. [9] developed a shell during an earthquake. However, several critical
numerical model based on the boundary element issues remain regarding the conventional horizontal
method to evaluate the dynamic response of isolation of liquid tanks. For example, the con-
base-isolated liquid storage tanks. They reduced the ventional horizontal isolation system cannot properly

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handle the net tension produced inside the tank in practical terms, for both slender and broad tanks.
shell due to the overturning moment. Moreover, the This is because, in addition to base shear forces,
isolation of the total area of a tank bottom plate the net tensile forces are affected by the overturning
requires a rigid slab, which is more expensive. In moment created by the isolating system. These
addition, this requires equipment to restrain the tensile forces may exceed the resistance of the
tank's maximum horizontal displacement. Finally, horizontal isolating system, especially with slender
making the connected equipment, such as interior tanks. Therefore, vertical isolation of a tank shell is
and exterior pipes, compatible with the large hori- preferable, in practical terms, than the conventional,
zontal displacement of an isolation system is a horizontal method.
difficult and expensive task. Eliminating the isolation of the tank base plate
In contrast, the present paper suggests the idea can eliminate the need for a solid base for isolation
of vertical isolation of a tank shell to reduce seismic of the entire base plate which is required for the
hydrodynamic forces. On the other hand, the vertical common horizontal system. In VIS, the tank shell
forces produced by the overturning moments are is disconnected from the base plate and supported
directly isolated. In proposed isolation system, the by a ring of vertical isolation systems. Then, the
tank shell is detached from the base plate and number of isolation elements required decreases
supported by a ring of vertical isolation systems significantly with respect to the common horizontal
(VIS). The finite element model (taking into account isolation in which the total base area must be cov-
fluid-structure interaction effects) is used to simulate ered by isolation elements. Disconnecting the tank
the contained liquid, as well as the tank shell. The shell and base plate, however, means we have to
results indicate that the new isolation system could somehow prevent the possibility of liquid leaking
efficiently reduce the main seismic responses. from the bottom of the tank shell. This is challenging,
but doable. For example, flexible plastic layers that
2. Proposed Vertical Isolation System adapt to the tank shell's vertical motion can be
The available base isolation systems reduce the attached to the tank shell and baseplate (Figure 1a).
horizontal shear forces produced by hydrodynamic In addition, the thin, corrugated plate can be used in
pressures. In general, hydrodynamic pressures an accordion shape to handle vertical motion without
create an overturning moment exerted on the leakage (Figure 1b). To investigate the effectiveness
bottom of the tank shell, which results in tensile and of the vertical isolation system, Finite Element
compressive stresses exerted vertically on the tank Modeling (FEM) is used. Details of the analyses
shell. These vertical seismic stresses are the main are presented in the next sections (Figure 1c).
source of elastic and inelastic buckling of the tank
3. Numerical Simulation
shell. Therefore, isolation of the tank shell in the
direction of the tank rocking motion (vertical The finite element method is used to numerically
direction) can efficiently and directly reduce investigate the seismic behavior of vertically isolated
the seismic stress caused by the hydrodynamic tanks. The finite element model of the contained
overturning moment. In VIS, limiting vertical liquid and tank shell is presented in Figure (1c). In
displacement of the tank wall is more manageable, this model, four-node, quadrilateral elastic shell

Figure 1. (a) and (b) Connection of tank shell and tank base plate in vertical direction; (c) Finite element model of tank shell
and contained liquid.

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elements that have both membrane and bending shape of the isolator, known as bilinear response
capabilities are used to model the tank walls. The with kinematic hardening. The properties of the
fluid domain is modeled with three-dimensional, isolation system utilized here represent the behavior
eight-node, fluid elements. These elements have of elastomeric bearings-type isolators. For isolated
three displacement degrees of freedoms at each structures, a fundamental period, i.e. the natural
node. The interaction between the tank and the period of the structure (Tiso) moving as an almost-
fluid was addressed by properly coupling the nodes rigid body on the isolators, is generally selected
lying on the border of the two domains in the radial in the range of 1.5 to 3 sec based on post-elastic
direction. The fluid imposes only normal pressures stiffness. In order to consider the seismic isolators
on the tank wall and allows for relative movements only under the steel ring wall of the tank, the be-
in the tangential and vertical directions between havior of the isolation system is modeled as vertical
the shell and fluid elements. Fluid element nodes nonlinear springs with material nonlinearity that
are also allowed to move on the surface of the tank connects the tank wall to the ground (Figure 3b). In
bottom plate. Meshing of the fluid domain is this study, a fundamental period of 2.5 sec is chosen
undertaken so that the solid elements form shapes for the analysis (Table 1).
closest to cubes. The simulation of vertical isolation
will be discussed later. Because experimental data Table 1. Isolation system parameters.
are not available for vertical isolated tanks, the
numerical model is validated only for the tank
without the isolating system. The validated model
is then used for the simulation of the isolated tank.
In order to verify the FEM results under seismic
excitation, the results of free surface displacement
obtained from the numerical model are compared
with the experimental results reported by Chalhoub
et al. [1]. They used a cylindrical steel tank, with a
height of 60.96 cm, wall thickness of 0.001 m and
diameter of 1.21 m. The El Centro earthquake record
scaled by peak acceleration 0.114 g was used as an
input base excitation. In Figure (2), the FEM result
of free surface displacements at the shell wall is
compared with the measured free surface elevation
given by Chalhoub et al. [1]. There is an acceptable
agreement between the FEM results and the ex-
perimental measurements.
Figure (3a) presents the assumed hysteretic loop

Figure 2. Comparing FEM results of sloshing wave height with Figure 3. (a) Energy dissipation loop of isolators; (b) Schematic
experimental measurements. view of vertically isolating system used under the tank walls.

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 Vertical Isolation of Seismic Loads in Aboveground Liquid Storage Tanks

Archive of SID Table 2. Geometry dimensions of considered tanks.

To evaluate the efficiency of the proposed VIS, Table 3. Earthquake specifications used for the time history
analysis.
the geometry and physical parameters of some
real-world scale tanks are selected, and their seismic
behaviors under some real seismic excitations are
simulated using the introduced numerical model. For
this purpose, three tanks with different aspect
ratios (a broad tank (h / R = 0.3), a medium tank
(h / R= 1), and a slender tank (h / R= 2.6) are utilized.
Each tank was designed based on the API code of 4. Results of FEM Analysis and Discussions
practice [16]. The physical and geometric dimensions The dynamic behaviors of the tanks with and
of the considered tanks are listed in Table (2). without VIS under various earthquake records are
Three earthquake ground motions are chosen as extracted from FEM analysis. As an example, the
the base excitations of the selected tanks in which time histories of the global overturning moment of
the peak ground accelerations are considered be- Tank 2, caused by the considered seismic excitations
tween 3.03 and 8.3 (m/sec2 ). Specifications of these for the base-isolated and corresponding base-fixed
earthquakes are listed in Table (3). medium tank, are compared in Figure (4).

Figure 4. Time history response of overturning moment for Tank 2 with and without VIS.

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The overturning moment is computed with of other excitations. This is due to the fact that
respect to the center of the cylindrical tank, neglect- the Chi-Chi exaction record includes long-period
ing the contribution of hydrodynamic pressures motion, which leads to the excitation of the sloshing
exerted on the base plate. As can be seen, VIS mode of the liquid. In general, the major part of a
effectively reduces the global overturning moment, tank seismic response is caused by the impulsive
resulting in a substantial reduction in the stresses mass of the contained liquid. When the sloshing
acting on the tank walls. The same trends were mode of the liquid is excited, the contribution of
observed in other cases. In order to quantitatively convective mass to the seismic response of the tanks
compare the results, only the absolute maximum increases. Since the base isolation is mainly used to
values of the design parameters (i.e., overturning reduce the impulsive hydrodynamic pressure, the
moment, base shear and hydrodynamic Von-Mises convective hydrodynamic pressure does not decrease
stress) are extracted and presented in Figure (5). considerably when using the isolating system, and
Under the ELSENT and TABAS earthquake may even increase. In general, it can be inferred
excitations, the mean reductions percentage in that the effectiveness of the base isolating system
base shear and overturning moment for slender, depends on the value of the fundamental period of
medium, and broad tanks are 81%, 80%, and 51%, the isolation system, the predominate period of
respectively. These values suggest that VIS is excitation, and the fundamental periods of the
more effective for a higher tank aspect ratio. In contained liquid. These parameters should be
the case of the Chi-Chi record, the percentage reasonably selected to achieve the maximum mi-
reductions in base shear and overturning moment tigation of seismic response. The results make clear,
for slender, medium, and broad tanks are 56%, however, that VIS can be a very effective method to
26%, and 15%, respectively. In this case, the control the seismic behavior of a liquid tank.
effectiveness of vertical base isolating of the tank The time history of sloshing wave height response
shells under the Chi-Chi excitation is less than that of vertical-base isolated tanks and corresponding

Figure 5. Time history response of overturning moment for Tank 2 with and without VIS.

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fixed-base tanks for the TABAS earthquake is and corresponding fixed-base tanks are compared in
plotted in Figure (6). As can be seen, the average Figure (7). As can be seen, VIS cannot substantially
surface motion period is close to the first convective change the sloshing wave height except with the
mode of contained liquid, implying that the significant slender tank (Tank 3). For Tank 1 and Tank 2, the
hydrodynamic sloshing motion is dominated by the fundamental period of convective mode is far
fundamental convective modes. Whether or not enough from the period of VIS. Therefore, the
the time history of the sloshing wave is considered, sloshing motions shown in Figure 7 for these tanks
Maximum Sloshing Wave Height (MSWH) is are quite similar in both fixed base and base-isolated
generally considered a major parameter in the s tanks. In the case of the slender tank; however, the
eismic design of liquid storage tanks. MSWH is used sloshing period is close to the vertical isolation pe-
to provide sufficient freeboard between the liquid riod, and it is expected that the sloshing motion con-
surface and the tank roof to prevent sloshing wave siderably affected by isolating the tank wall.
impact. If sufficient free board is not provided, The plots in Figure (8) show the deformation of
the tank roof should be designed against roof forces three vertically isolated tanks caused by the Elsent
[17]. earthquake excitation. The deformation in the
The FEM results of MSWH for vertically isolated vertical direction has a maximum value of 11.6 cm,

Figure 6. Time history response of overturning moment for Tank 2 with and without VIS.

Figure 7. Maximum sloshing wave height for fixed and vertically isolated tanks.

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Figure 8. Time history of vertical displacement of isolation system under the ELSENT earthquake.

14.5 cm, and 23 cm for the slender, medium, and The results indicate that isolating a tank shell in the
broad tanks, respectively. These results suggest vertical direction effectively reduces the base shear
that vertical isolation of the tank wall is quite and hydrodynamic overturning moment exerted on
effective for Tank 3 and Tank 2. For the broad tank the base of the tank, which results in a substantial
(Tank 1), however, vertical isolation of the tank reduction of the seismic stresses acting on tank
wall leads to a smaller reduction in seismic loads wall. For the physical and geometrical parameters
(discussed in previous sections) and larger vertical used in this study, the mean percentage reductions
displacement of the tank base. The vertical dis- in base shear and overturning moment were 81%,
placement of VIS is important for preventing fluid 80%, and 51% for a slender, medium, and broad
leakage from the bottom of a disconnected tank tank, respectively. Therefore, VIS can be regarded
wall. as a shell buckling retrofitting method in liquid
storage tanks.
5. Conclusions
Sloshing wave height responses were not affected
Vertically Isolation system (VIS) is proposed to by the introduction of the VIS when the periods of
reduce the hydrodynamic pressures caused by seis- the isolated and convective modes were well
mic loads. In this method, only the tank shell (instead separated, which was true for most liquid storage
of the whole tank base plate) is vertically isolated, tanks.
and the tank shell should be disconnected from the It is observed that a net tensile force is generally
base plate. The finite element method is used to experienced in a tank shell (especially in a slender
evaluate the efficiency of the suggested isolating tank) during a strong ground shaking. Therefore,
method. For this purpose, the seismic behavior of vertical isolation of the tank wall is a quite effective
three vertically isolated and non-isolated tanks under system for these liquid storage tanks. For the broad
several earthquake excitations are evaluated by tank, however, a lower reduction in seismic forces
numerical simulation. and higher vertical displacement of the tank shell is

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observed. Therefore, the proposed vertical isolation analysis of liquid storage tanks base isolated by
system may be more effective for slender and curved surface sliding bearings. Soil Dynamics
medium tanks. and Earthquake Engineering, 30, 21-31.

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