Reliability Analysis on Shell Design of Large Oil Storage Tanks

Wang He
1, a
, Li-chuan Liu
1, b
, Jin-lin Yang
1, c
1
Dept. of petroleum supplying engineering, Logistical Engineering Uniersity, !hong"ing, #$1%11,!hina
&
a
he'ang%()*1)%.com,
b
licliu*sina.com,
c
yang+inlin ,$-. *1)%.com /
Abstract - The paper studies the procedures
of the shell design and reliability analysis of
large oil tanks and presents the results of
calculation and analysis on the strength-
stress model of tanks wall reliability by
checking points method Taking a !"""""m
#
tank for e$ample% shown is the analysis and
calculation on the reliability of the wall
design with different numbers of shell
courses% and also resulted is the numbers of
shell courses based on the reliability of the
holistic tank wall
Keywords - Large oil tank% Tank-wall design% Shell
thickness% Shell course% Structural reliability
0. 01234DU!2041
Usually, the amount of steel use5 in a tan6 'all
'oul5 be .$7 of the 'hole use5. 8o the 5esign of a tan6
'all 5oesn9t only affect its function an5 reliability, but
also 5oes its cost. :ccor5ing to the re"uirement for a
tan69s strength, its 'all thic6ness shoul5 increase linearly
along 'ith static hy5raulic pressure from top to bottom.
Ho'eer, in engineering practice, the 'all of tan6s is
ma5e of the steel-plates 'ith 5ifferent thic6ness. 4n the
premise of optimal ra5ius an5 height, here more important
is 'hat steel-plate 'i5th of the shell courses coul5 6eep
higher reliability of the holistic tan6-'all. 2herefore,
base5 on the 5esign of tan6-'all, analy;e5 is reliability of
a tan6-'all structure.
00. <E2H4D4L4=Y
A. Wall Design
4n the basis of 5esign capacity an5 least amount of
material use5, the formula of calculating the tan6-'all-
height 'ith 5ifferent thic6ness of shell plates can be
5escribe5 as E".1
H =
&1/
Where H is tan6-'all-height &m/> is a coefficient,
relate5 to tan6 5esign parameter> is thic6ness
summation of tan6-bottom an5 tan6-roof. With the aboe
e"uation, the tan6 5iameter an5 height coul5 be 5efine5 as
the basic structure parameters of a 5esigne5 tan6.
2he 'all 5esign of oil steel tan6s
?1@?(@
can be 5ii5e5
into t'o groups, 'ith the same an5 5ifferent shell 'all
thic6ness. 2he capacity belo' 1$$$m
%
is more economic
'ith the former, 'hile the tan6s 'ith a larger capacity
shoul5 be 5esigne5 of the ariable shell thic6ness. 8o the
thic6ness of eery course 5ecreases along 'ith the 'all
from bottom to top. : floating-roof tan6 shoul5 6eep the
all courses 'ith the same 5iameter, insi5e for the floating
tray aailable to moe up an5 5o'n. 2he maAimum stress
of eery course is at the point a little higher than the
bottom of shell course en5 because of the belo' course9s
hoop stress. 2he one-foot metho5
?%@?#@
, usually, is applie5
in the tan6s 'ith a 5iameter less than )$ meter. Ho'eer,
it is not irrational for the tan6s 'ith 5iameter more than
)$m, so the ariable point metho5
?%@?#@?.@
is applie5 to
re5uce the re"uire5 shell thic6ness 'ith the same
allo'able stresses.

0n or5er to 5etermine the position of
the maAimal stress of eery course-plate, the impact
bet'een the shell 'all9s courses is consi5ere5 in the 'all-
thic6ness calculation calle5 as the ariable point metho5.
2he ariable point calculation of the 'all-thic6ness of oil
tan6s is sho'n as follo'e5.
2he bottom shell course thic6ness of tan6s can be
obtaine5 from the follo'ing eApression
?)@
B
$1
& $.%/
(? @
H D
t

=
or
$1
$.$),) ,.C
?1.$) @
? @ (? @
D H HD
t
H
=
&(/

Where t$1 is the 5esign thic6ness of the 'all bottom
course, mm> H is the uprightness height from bottom of
shell to top angle or to bottom of oerflo', m> D is the
nominal tan6 5iameter, m>

is the per- 'eight of the

li"ui5, tDm
%
>

is +oint efficiency> ? @ is the steels

allo'able 5esign stress for calculating plate thic6ness,
an5 ta6en by minimum bet'een $.-.
s
an5
%
-
b

&<Ea/.
2he thic6ness of the secon5 shell course of tan6 'all
is calculate5 by the follo'ing proce5ures. When the
bottom shell course of the 'all-thic6ness t$1 has been
calculate5, the 'i5th of the course-plate shoul5 be +u5ge5
first by the follo'ing three goerning con5itions an5 then
the thic6ness of the secon5 shell course gien by the
respectie eApressions
?)@
B
1
$ $& 1/
$& 1/
1.%-.
i
i i
i
h
t t
Rt

=
.
1
$
$& 1/
(.)(.
i
i ai
i
h
t t
Rt

=
. &%/
1
$& 1/
1.%-. (.)(.
i
i
h
Rt

<
,
1
& /&(.1 /
$ $& 1/
1.(.
$& 1/
h
i
t t t t
ai ai i i
Rt
i

= +

Where
1 i
h

is the height of bottom shell course, m>

R
is
the tan6 ra5ius, m>
$i
t is the final thic6ness of the ith
shell course, mm>
ai
t is the thic6ness of the ith shell
course by the ariable point metho5, mm.
ai
t can be
obtaine5 by resoling the follo'ing e"uations
?)@
.

@ ? (
/ & D X H
t
i i
ai

= &#/
ai i
i i i
i i ai i
Rt X
H C X
H C Rt X
(( . 1
%( . $ )1 . $
%
(
1
=
=
+ =
&./
/ min&
% ( 1 i i i i
X X X X =
Where
i
H is the hy5raulic height of the ith shell course9s
bottom, m>
i
K is the 5istance aboe the lo'er en5 of the
ith shell course>
& 1/
1
i i
i
i i
K K
C
K K

=
+
>
i
K is thic6ness
lo'er course at +ointDthic6ness upper course at +oint,
e"uate5 'ith
$& 1/ i
ai
t
t

> others are the same as the

meaning sho'n aboe.
2he thic6ness of the upper shell courses is relate5
'ith the thic6ness of lo'er shell courses. 2he thic6ness of
each course is 5etermine5 by a common stress, an5 the
theoretical location of the 5esign point is at a ariable
5istance aboe the bottom of the course. 2he 5istance is
lo'est alue obtaine5 from the aboe eApressions &#/ &./.
B. Reliability Analysis of Tank Wall
Eery engineering 5esign shoul5 be proi5e5 'ith
certain of its reliability, an5 so 5oes the 'all 5esign of oil
tan6s. 2he reliability of structures is 5efine5 as the
probability that the structure performances its function
5uring a certain perio5 of time an5 in the 5esigne5
con5ition
?-@
.
0n the cases of static loa5ing, stress-strength
interference mo5el is usually follo'e5 as the inali5ation
physical mo5el in the reliability 5esign of static
structures.
2hen limit state e"uation
?-@
can be eApresse5 byB
& , / y r s r s = &)/
Where r is the strength>
s
is the hoop stress.
When the 5istributing for the ran5om ariables is
6no'n, the reliability can be calculate5 by the follo'ing
e"uation

?#@B
3&t/FE&yG$/ F & / & /
r s
r s
f r f s drds
>
. &-/
Where 3&t/ , E , & /
r
f r , & /
s
f s are reliability 5egree,
probability, 5ensity function about strength, 5ensity
function about stress.
0n engineering practice, it is compleA een almost
impossible to calculate the aboe integral 'ith an eAplicit
result, een if the simplest functional function
?-@
.
:ccor5ing to the engineering statistical inestigation,
ran5om ariables about stress an5 strength 'oul5 follo'
the normal 5istribution or logarithm normal 5istribution
mo5el. When ran5om ariables are assume5 as normal
5istribution an5 in5epen5ent one another, the reliability
coul5 be eApresse5 as
?.@
( ( ( (
& / 1 & / & /
r s r s
r s r s
R t



= =
+ +
&C/
Where
r
,
s
are the aerage of strength an5 stress
an5
r
,
s
are the stan5ar5 5eiation of strength an5
stress.
Let
( (
r s
r s

=
+
, &,/
:n5 then, & / R t F & / &1$/
0f can be sho'n that the parameter in5icate the
reliability of tan6 shell.
2he reliability mo5el about tan6 'all is a 'ea6est-chain
or series mo5el as the follo'ing
?C@
.
1 1
& / & / & /
n n
i i
i i
R t R t
= =
= = &11/
2here are seeral metho5s to calculate , such as
central point, chec6ing points, mappe5 transform,
practicality analysis, etc. Here, chec6ing points is applie5
to calculate the reliability in5eA of tan6 'all an5 analy;e
its effect on shell courses on tan6 'all to be analy;e5.
:ccor5ing to membrane theory, the stress in the 'all of
ertical cylin5rical tan6
?)@
is gien byB
(
D
s
t
=
&1(/
Where
s
is the hoop stress> is the li"ui5 pressure> t
is the uniform thic6ness of shell, e"uate5 'ith
$i
t .
8o, the limit state e"uation becomes
1 (
$
$ $
& , / & , ,..., /
(
?($ & 1/ @
$
(
n
i
i
i i
D
y r s g X X X r s r
t
g i h D D
r r
t t

= = =

= = =
&1%/
Where

is a coefficient an5 constant to eery

course 'ith the 5esigne5 shell 'i5th. Hy the aboe limit
state e"uation, there are three ran5om ariables. 0n or5er
to 5eci5e the 5esign-chec6 points for the reliability, the
alues of these ran5om ariables at the 5esign-chec6
point nee5 to be calculate5 as the follo'ing.
I
1
cos
r r
r = +
I
(
cos
D D
D = + &1#/
$ $
I
$ %
cos
i i
i t t
t = +
Where
cos
i
X

is sensitiity coefficient, 'hich can

be gien byB
I
I
(
1
cos
i
i
i
X
!
i
X
n
X
!
i i
y
X
y
X

( )
I(
$
$
1
(
(
I
(
I
cos
i
i
r
r D t
t
D
t

=


+ +



( )
I(
$
$
I
(
(
(
I
(
I
cos
i
i
D
r D t
t
t
D
t

=


+ +



&1./
( )
I(
$
$
I(
$
$
I
%
(
(
I
(
I
cos
i
i
i
i
t
t
r D t
t
D
D
t

=


+ +



Eut the aerage of eery ran5om ariable as test
chec6ing point
$
$
& , , /
i
r D t

, an5 ma6e the follo'ing
e"uation balance5.
(
$ A B C + + =
$
1 %
cos cos
t i
r
A =
$
$
1 % (
cos cos cos
i
i
r r t D
t
B

= +
&1)/
oi
r D
t
C

=
Where,
r
,
D
,
oi
t
are the aerage of strength,
5iameter an5
$i
t >
r
,
D
,
$i
t

are the stan5ar5

5eiation of strength, 5iameter an5
$i
t . !yclic iteratie
metho5 can be use5 to calculate the chec6ing points an5
for 5ifferent courses an5 5ifferent thic6ness.
C. "#a$!le Case
2a6en consi5eration of is the caseB the olume
capacity of the tan6 isB 1$$$$$cbm, steel materialB
thic6ness rangeB 1$J%#mm, strengthB )1$J-%$<Ea, yiel5
stress rB #,$<Ea, allo'able stress ? @ B%(-<Ea, shell
'i5thB 1$$$J%$$$mm, store li"ui5 5ensity B1$$$
6gDcm
%
, ariation coefficient of strength limitation B $.$.J
$.1, ariation coefficient of steel-si;e B $.$%-$.$..
Kirst, accor5ing to &1/,
H
is (1.Cm, set it into ((m,
Kor the 1$$$$$cbm of olume capacity, the 5iameter is
about C$m.
2hen, suppose tan6 ma5e of the same 'i5th shell-
course, number of shell-course is from - to 1# for a tan6-
'all. 2he 'all thic6ness is calculate5 by compiling the
program of <icrosoft Lisual Hasic ($$.. 0f the steel
'i5th
1 i
h

is 6no'n, the 'all thic6ness can be obtaine5.

:s sho'n in figure 1 is the 'all thic6ness 'ith 5ifferent
course-number.
:n5 then, in or5er to calculate the reliability in5eA,
the aerage an5 stan5ar5 5eiation of three ran5om
ariables must be 6no'n.
2he ariation coefficient of strength limitation gets
$.$.J$.1 an5 that aerage gets the geometry si;e an5
criterion 5eiation gets 1D% 5eiation for its statistical
meaning?C@. $.1 is use5 as the ariation coefficient of
strength, namely #,$, #,

= = <Ea. Literature ?,@
points out that -) , $.$(1
D
D $ = , namely
C$, $.$(1
D D
= = m. =ien the courses, thic6ness
can get a fiAe5 alue, 'hich can act as aerage of 'all
thic6ness. $.$# is use5 as the ariation coefficient of the
thic6ness of tan6-'all.
0n or5er to calculate reliability in5ices, a program is
compile5 an5 calculate5 chec6ing points an5 reliability
in5ices for 5ifferent shell-course number an5 5ifferent
thic6ness. 2he results of the calculation are sho'n in the
follo'ing
?1$@
.
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
each shel l -course
t
h
i
c
k
n
e
s
s
9courses 10courses 11courses
12courses 13courses 14courses
Kig. 1 2hic6ness of eery shell-course 'ith 5ifferent
numbers of shell-course
76. 2
76. 4
76. 6
76. 8
77
77. 2
77. 4
77. 6
9 10 11 12 13 14
numbers of shel l -course
s
t
e
e
l

c
o
n
s
u
m
p
t
i
o
n

a
m
o
u
n
t

Kig. ( 8teel consumption amount in olume about tan6
'all 'ith 5ifferent numbers of shell-course

3
3. 2
3. 4
3. 6
3. 8
4
4. 2
4. 4
4. 6
4. 8
5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
each shel l -course
r
e
l
i
a
b
i
l
i
t

i
n
!
e
"
9courses 10courses 11courses
12courses 13courses 14courses
Kig. % 3eliability in5eA of eery shell-course 'ith
5ifferent numbers of shell-course
0. 92
0. 925
0. 93
0. 935
0. 94
0. 945
0. 95
0. 955
0. 96
0. 965
0. 97
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
each shel l -course
r
e
l
i
a
b
i
l
i
t

9courses 10courses 11courses

12courses 13courses 14courses
Kig. # 3eliability of eery shell-course 'ith 5ifferent
numbers of shell-course
0. 998
0. 9982
0. 9984
0. 9986
0. 9988
0. 999
0. 9992
0. 9994
9 10 11 12 13 14
numbers of shel l -course

a
l
l

t
a
n
k
-
#
a
l
l

r
e
l
i
a
b
i
l
i
t

Kig. . 3eliability of the 'hole tan6-'all 'ith 5ifferent

numbers of shell-course
8. 5
9
9. 5
10
10. 5
11
11. 5
9 10 11 12 13 14
numbers of shel l -course
h
e
i
$
h
t

o
f

m
i
n
i
n
u
m

t
h
i
c
k
n
e
s
s
Kig. ) height of minimum thic6ness 'ith 5ifferent
numbers of shell-course
000. 3E8UL28 :1D D08!U880418
Wall thic6ness is not ariable 'ith 5ifferent numbers
of shell-course at bottom course in fig. 1. 2he steel
consumption amount in olume about the 'hole tan6-
'all becomes fe'er 'ith numbers9 increasing as a 'hole
in fig.(. 3eliability is relatiely higher 'hen the thic6ness
calculate5 less than the maAimum that 5esign-co5e
re"uires in fig. % an5 fig. #. 3eliability of the secon5
shell-course is increasing 'ith shell-course number
increasing, that is to say, the lo'er are numbers of shell-
course, the more obious is the influence from the
restraint of the tan6 bottom in the shell-course 5esign.
2he heights of minimum thic6ness an5 numbers of
shell-course hae seeral impacts on tan6-'all9s 'hole
reliability an5 steel consumption amount for large tan6s
in fig. ..an5 fig. ). 2here is one shell-course number to
ma6e 'hole reliability of tan6-'all maAimum 'hen
ta6ing no account of influence on reliability of 'el5
number in progress of reliability calculation. Hut if 'el5
is consi5ere5 in reliability, the optimal number of shell-
course 'ill change an5 number of shell-course 'ill
become fe'er. 2he upper part of the tan6-'all can be
ta6en place by other steel material that strength is lo'er
because it re"uires lo'er respectiely.
3EKE3E1!E8
?1@ Y.L. HuangB strength calc%lation on &arge 'torage Tank
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1,,,,pp.1J./ &0n !hinese/.
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(!ti$i)ation Research on &arge Tanks Wall
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($$,,pp.-J,/ &0n !hinese/.
?%@ J.H. Ean, =.!. =uo an5 O. M. =aoB Tank and i!eline*s
+ntensity Design&Eetroleum 0n5ustry Eress, !hina 1,C),
pp. .)J)$/ &0n !hinese/.
?#@ Jian. 8huai, =.J. YuB i!eline and Tank*s 'trength
Design&Eetroleum 0n5ustry Eress, !hina ($$), pp. 1-CJ
1C%/ &0n !hinese/.
?.@ N.H. NhangB 'election of the Height of Cylindrical 'teel
Tank designed by ,ariable oint -ethod &Eetro-!hemical
E"uipment 2echnology, !hina ($$1,pp.%(-%#/ &0n
!hinese/.
?)@ Ehilip E. <yers. Abo,egro%nd 'torage Tanks, the
<c=ra'-Hill !ompanies, 0nc. 1,,-, pp. ()..
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Thesis&!hinese :rchitecture 0n5ustry Eress, !hina ($$$,
pp. 1#J1-/ &0n !hinese/.
?C@ H.8. Dai, <.E. WangB Reliability "ngineering and
A!!lication in Che$istry +nd%stry ".%i!$ent&!hemistry
0n5ustry Eress, 1,C), pp. ,(J1$./ &0n !hinese/.
?,@ O.!. 2anB 3esearch on 2an6 lo'er 1o5e 3eliability
:nalysis <etho5, Logistical Engineering Uniersity
2ransaction, ($$#, pp. #( &0n !hinese/.
?1$@ 3.H. 8un, H.Y. Yi an5 M.8. LiuB <athematical
statistics&!hongMing Uniersity Eress. !hina ($$(, pp.
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