Design of Circular Tanks

The operational processes within the water and other industries dealing with fluids often
require circular structures to ensure their systems of work are carried out efficiently and
economically.
The primary stresses set up within the structure are usually a result of the ring tension
generated by the contained liquid and the main reinforcement, therefore, consists of bands of
circular steel hoops. The ability of the cylinder to increase in diameter is resisted, however, at
the base where restraint occurs. If outward movement is prevented by a fixed or pinned joint
then the ring tension will be zero and vertical bending moments and shear forces will occur.
Tables have been prepared to assist the designer and are used in the example that follows. The
example is the design of an open topped 12 m internal diameter concrete tank, 5 m high,
subjected to various base conditions.
Three typical base conditions are given below.

 = weight of liquid (KN/m3)

Lv = effective height of tank
(m)
r = effective radius of tank (m)
h = thickness of tank wall (m)
p = load or pressure (KN/m2)
Ft = ring tension (KN)
M = Moment (KNm)

In Tables 9/29 9/36

For the pCA coefficients,
0.0 Lv is the top of the wall
1.0 Lv is the bottom of the wall.

Design of Tank
Base condition a) Free Sliding
Max. water pressure at base of tank = 9.81*5 = 49KN
D
12
Max. ring tension Ft p 49 294 KN
2
2
Design of R.C. element
Parameters :
fcu = 35 N/mm2 ; fy = 460 N/mm2
Min. cover = 45 mm
Continuous construction, (T1+T2) = 400 c max.
Max. crack width = 0.2mm
h = 250mm

Minimum reinforcement requirements (horizontal)

(i) cl. 2.6.2.3 - Table A - (min.)
2
250 0.35

103 438 mm
m
2
100
2
Inner zone = as above
= 438 mm
m
(T12's @ 250%)

Outer zone =

(ii) cl. 3.2.2.a, App A - (min. immature concrete)

Free joint - cl. 5.3.2.6.
wmax = max. estimated crack width.
R = restraint factor.
= coefficient of thermal expansion of mature
concrete.
T1 = fall in temperature (peak v. ambient)
T2 = seasonal fall in temperature.
f ct

tensile strength 3 day concrete

average bond concrete / steel
= diameter of bar
p% = % of steel in zone thickness.
fb

ratio of

Using the equations in Appendix A or graph 9/16,

wmax smax .R. .T1 T2
smax

f ct

fb 2 p

f ct

R T1 T2 100
fb 2 p
f
For Type 2 steel - ct 0.67
fb

p%

Use 16mm re inf orcement & R 0.5

0.000012 0

16 0.5 0.000012 40 10 2
0.64%
2 0.2
Min. As , each zone
p % 0.67

0.64 250

10 100 800 mm
3

T 16 250%

(iii) Cl. 3.12.5 BS 8110 min. renforcement, pure tension

T1 T2 400 C

As min 0.45

250 103

562 mm 2 each face

2 100

(iv) Option 1 Cl. 3.2.2.b Table 3.1

As max 294000

130

2261 mm 2 m max use T 16' s @ 175 c c each face

Option 2 Cl. 3.2.2.b App. BS, 6,7

(Try T16s @ 200% each face)

As 2010 mm 2 m total
294000
146 N mm 2
2010
146
1
0.00073
200000
0.8 460

Max. strain, App. BS 200000 0.00184

2.bt .h
2 1000 250
Stiffening effect

0.00041
3Es As 3 200000 2010
fs

m 0.00073 0.00041 0.00032

Cw 3.acr . m
acr max 1002 652 8 111mm
Cw 3 111 0.00041 0.14 mm 0.2 Ok!
Bond lengths :
Ultimate bond stress , f bu

f av 0.5 35 2.56 N mm 2

Ultimate force in bar 460 0.87

d 2
4

314 d 2

Bond resis tan ce d l 2.96

Bond length required B110
l

314 d 2
33.8 d
d 2.96

Hoever, BS 8007 Cl. 3.2.1 states that for bars in direct

tension, the bond stress shall not exceed 0.7 times the value
given in
BS 8110.
33.8
Bond length
48.3 dia.
0.7

Minimum vertical steel :

250 103

313 mm 2 m each face

2 100
250 103
BS 8007 0.35

438 mm 2 m each face

2 100
BS 8110 0.25

Ultimate load (steel)

294000 1.4
205 N mm 2 0.87 460 Ok!
2010

T 12' s @ 250 c

c each face