Numerical analysis for environmental effects in circular tanks

An efficient numerical method of analysis for environmental (thermal, shrinkage, and swelling) effects in circular, concrete, liquid storage thin-walled tanks under conditions of axial symmetry is outlined. Although the approach is based on individual analyses of wall and plate sub-structures, it yields the global solution that accounts for actual interaction between the wall and plate elements. This interaction between the tank main elements is introduced in a Force Method-type procedure by utilising conditions of compatibility of displacements at the wall-plate junctions. The analysis technique is applicable to a wide range of circular-cylindrical tank systems in contact with a variety of support media. The numerical treatment of the considered environmental effects presented herein extends the approach outlined earlier by the author and is just a part of design analysis that includes also tank pre-stressing. The effectiveness and usefulness of the proposed method and of the computer software developed are tested with the included examples. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.