INTRODUCITON

Prestressed concrete circular tanks are usually the best combination of structural
form and material for the storage of liquids and solids. Their performance over
the past half- century indicates that, when designed with reasonable skill and care,
they can function for 50 years or more without significant maintenance problems.
The first effort to introduce circumferential prestressing into circular
structures was that of W. S. Hcwett, who applied the tie rod and turnbuckle
principle in the early 1920s. But the reinforcing steel available at that time had
very low yield strength, limiting the applied tension to not more than 30,000 to
35,000 psi (206.9 to 241.3 MPa). Indeed, significant long-term losses due to
concrete creep, shrinkage, and steel relaxation almost neutralized the prestressing
force. As higher strength steel wires became available, J. M. Crom, Sr., in the
1940s, successfully developed the principle of winding high- tensile wires around
the circular walls of prestressed tanks. Since that time, over 3,000 circular storage
structures have been built of various dimensions up to diameters in excess of 300
feet (92 m).

The major advantage in performance and economy of using circular

prestressing in concrete tanks over regular reinforcement is the requirement that
no cracking be allowed. The circumferential hugging hoop stress in
compression provided by external winding of the prestressing wires around the
tank shell is the natural technique for eliminating cracking in the exterior walls
due to the internal liquid, solid, or gaseous loads that the tank holds. Other
techniques of circumferential prestressing using individual tendons which are
anchored to buttresses have been more widely used in Europe than in North
America for reasons of local economy and technological status.

Containment vessels utilizing circumferential prestressing, which can be

either situ-cast or precast in segments, include water storage tanks, wastewater
tanks and effluent clarifiers, silos, chemical and oil storage tanks, offshore oil
platform structures, cryogenic vessels, and nuclear reactor pressure vessels. All
these structures are considered thin shells because of the exceedingly small ratio
of the container thickness to its diameter. Because no cracking at working-load
levels is permitted, the shells are expected to behave elastically under workingload and overload conditions.
When the prestressed members are curved, in the direction of prestressing,
the prestressing is called circular prestressing. For example, circumferential

prestressing in pipes, tanks, silos, containment structures and similar structures is

a type of circular prestressing. In these structures, there can be prestressing in the
longitudinal direction (parallel to axis) as well. Circular prestressing is also
applied in domes and shells.

The circumferential prestressing resists the hoop tension generated due to the
internal pressure. The prestressing is done by wires or tendons placed spirally, or
over sectors of the circumference of the member. The wires or tendons lay outside
the concrete core. Hence, the centre of the prestressing steel (CGS) is outside the
core concrete section.

The hoop compression generated is considered to be uniform across the

thickness of a thin shell. Hence, the pressure line (or C-line) lies at the centre of
the core concrete section (CGC). The following sketch shows the internal forces
under service conditions. The analysis is done for a slice of unit length along the
longitudinal direction (parallel to axis).

Internal forces under service conditions

To reduce the loss of prestress due to friction, the prestressing can be done over
sectors of the circumference. Buttresses are used for the anchorage of the
tendons. The following sketch shows the buttresses along the circumference.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES:

Considering the behaviour of circular tanks involves examining both the
interior pressure due to the material contained therein acting on a thin-walled
cylindrical shell cross section and the exterior radial and sometimes vertical

prestressing forces balancing the interior forces. The interior pressure is

horizontally radial, but varies vertically depending on the type of material
contained in the tank. If the material is water or a similar liquid, the vertical
pressure distribution against the tank walls is triangular, with maximum intensity
at the base of the wall. Other liquids which are accompanied by gas would give a
constant horizontal pressure throughout the height of the wall. The vertical
pressure distribution in tanks used for storage of granular material such as grain
or coal would be essentially similar to the gas pressure distribution, with a
constant value along most of the depth of the material contained. Figure shows
the pressure distributions for these three cases of loading.
The basic elastic theory of cylindrical shells applies to the analysis and
design of the walls of prestressed tanks. A ring force causes ring tension in the
thin cylindrical walls, assumed unrestrained at the ends at each horizontal section.
The magnitude of the force is proportional to the internally applied pressure, and
no vertical moment is produced along the height of the walls. If the wall ends are
restrained, the magnitude of the ring force changes and a bending moment is
induced in the vertical section of the tank wall. The magnitudes of the ring forces
and vertical moments are thus a function of the degree of restraint of the
cylindrical shell at its boundaries and are computed from the elastic shell theory
and its simplifications and idealizations to be discussed subsequently.
Liquid Load and Freely Sliding Base. From basic mechanics, the ring force is

and the ring stress is

Where d = diameter of cylinder, r = radius of cylinder, t = thickness of wall

core, p = unit internal pressure at wall base = H, = unit weight of material
contained in vessel.

Figure:
Tank internal pressure diagrams, (a) Tank cross section, showing radial
shear Q0 and restraining moment M0 at base for fixed-base walls, (b) Liquid pressure,
triangular load, (c) Gaseous pressure, rectangular load, (d) Granular pressure,
trapezoidal load.

The tensile ring stress at any point below the surface of the material contained in
the vessel becomes

where H is the
height of the liquid
contained and y is the distance above the base. The corresponding ring force is
The maximum tensile ring stress at the base of the freely sliding tank wall for y
= 0 becomes,
Gaseous Load on
Again from basic principles of
ring stress is

Freely Sliding Base.

mechanics, the constant tensile

Note that while theoretically the centreline diameter dimension is more

accurate to use, the ratio t/d is so small that the use of the internal diameter d is
appropriate.
Liquid and Gaseous Load on a Restrained Wall Base. If the base of the

wall is fixed or pinned, the ring tension at the base vanishes. Because of the
restraint imposed on the base, the simple membrane theory of shells is then no
longer applicable, due to the imposed deformations of the restraining force at the
wall base. Instead, bending modifications to the membrane stresses become
necessary. And the deviation of the ring tension at intermediate planes along the
wall height must be approximated.

If the vertical bending moment in the horizontal plane of the wall at any height is
My, the flexural stress in compression or tension in the concrete becomes

The distribution of the flexural stress across the thickness of the tank wall
is shown in Figure

Ring tension and flexural stresses, (a) Ring tension internal

force F in the horizontal section, (b) Flexural stress due to
bending moment M in the wall thickness of the vertical section.

Ring Shear Q0 and Moment M0 Gas Containment

If the edges of the shell are free at the wall base, the internal pressure
produces only hoop stress fR = pr/t and the radius of the cylinder increases by the
amount

Also, for full restraint at

And

Solving for Mo and Qo gives

And

the wall base,

CYLINDRICAL SHELL MEMBRANE COEFFICIENTS:

The bending moment at any level along the height above the base of a
cylindrical tank can be computed from the bending moment expression for a
cantilever beam. This is accomplished by multiplying the cantilever moment
values by coefficients whose magnitudes are functions of the geometrical
dimensions of the tank and which are termed membrane coefficients. The basic
moment expressions developed for the circular container can be rearranged into
a factor H2/dt denoting geometry and a factor H3 or pH2 denoting cantilever
effect, for liquid and gaseous loading, respectively.
The tank constant is a function of rt or dt, where d is the tank diameter.
Using poisons ratio 0.2 for concrete, we have
[3(1 2 ]14
1.30
1.84
=
=
=
()12
()12 ()12
The factor 1/H used in the basic bending expressions of (/2 )12 since =
1.84/()12 . The product y con also be rewritten in terms of (2 /)12 using
y =H, where y is the height above the base.
Consequently, the moment My in a wall section a distance y above the base
can be represented in terms of the form factor 2 / and the cantilever factor H3
or pH2 as follows:
My = numerical variant x form factor x cantilever factor
Or
2
= [
] [3 2 ]

the form factor 2 / is constant for the particular structure being designed.
Hence, the product of the variant and the form factor produces the membrane
coefficient C, so that
= 3
for a liquid load and
= 2
For a gaseous load.
The membrane coefficients C for various form factors 2 / and most
expected boundary and load conditions. They significantly reduce the

computational efforts normally required in the design and analysis of shells,

without loss of accuracy in the results. Using the membrane coefficients for the
solution of the circular tank forces and moments should give results reasonably
close.

PRESTRESSING EFFECTS ON WALL STRESSES FOR

FULLY HINGED, PARTIALLY SLIDING AND HINGED,
FULLY FIXED, AND PARTIALLY FIXED BASES:
The liquid or gas contained in a cylindrical tank exerts outward radial
pressure h or p on the tank walls, inducing ring tensions in each horizontal
section of wall along its height. This ring tension in turn causes tensile stresses in
the concrete at the outside extreme wall fiberes, resulting in impermissible
cracking. To eliminate the cracking that causes leaks and structural deterioration,
external horizontal prestressing is applied which induces inwards radial thrust
that can balance the outward radial tension. Additionally in order to prevent the
development of cracks in the inside walls when the tanks is empty, vertical
prestressing is induced to reduce the residual tension within the range of the
modulus of rupture of the concrete and with an adequate safety factor.
In order to ensure against the development of cracking at the outside face
of the tank wall, it is good practice to apply somewhat larger horizontal
prestressing forces than are required to neutralize or balance the outward radial
forces caused by the internal liquid or gas, thereby producing residual
compression in the tank when it is full. Such an increase in circumferential
prestressing forces through the use of additional horizontal prestressing steel, and
sometimes mild vertical steel, also counteracts the effects of temperature and
moisture gradients across the wall thickness in an adverse environment.
FREELY SLIDING WALL BASE: When the boundary condition is
such that the wall at its base can freely slide when the tank is internally loaded,
there is no moment in the vertical wall due either to liquid load or to prestressing
when the tank is totally filled to height H. only a small nominal moment develops
when the tank is partially filled, partially prestressed, or empty, and no vertical
prestressing is necessary. The deflected shape of the freely sliding tank

While free sliding is an ideal condition that renders the structure statically
determinate and hence most economical, it is difficult to achieve in practice.
Frictional forces produced at the wall base after the tank becomes operational and
the difficulty of achieving liquid tightness render this alternative essentially
implementable.

Hinged Wall Base:

For wall with a hinged connection to the base, the maximum radial forces
due to the liquid retained and the prestressing at eh critical section a distance y
above the base are almost equal to those in the freely sliding case at height y. but
vertical moments are introduced, and vertical prestressing becomes necessary to
reduce the tensile stresses in the concrete at the outer wall face.

In order to minimize the possibility of cracking, a residual ring

compression of a minimum value of 200 psi (1.38 MPa) is necessary for wirewrapped prestressed tanks without diaphragms, and 100 psi (0.7MPa) for tank
with a continuous metal diaphragm. The maximum tension at the inside face of
the wall should not exceed 3 at working load level. The deflected shape of
the tank walls and the stress variations in the concrete across the thickness of the
section when the tank is empty and when it is full. For tank prestressed with
pretension and post-tensioned tendons, the minimum residual compressive stress
should be as stipulated.

RECOMMENDED PRACTICE FOR PRECAST PRESTRESSED

CONCRETE CIRCULAR STORAGE TANKS
Stresses
General guidelines for precast prestressed concrete circular storage tanks
are provided by the Prestressed Concrete Institute (Ref. 11.10, the American
Concrete Institute (Refs. 11.7-11.9), and the Post Tensioning Institute (ref. 11.10)
for choosing the applicable allowable stresses, dimensioning, minimum wall
thickness, and construction and erection procedure. The allowable stresses in
concrete and shotcrete are given in table (Ref. 11.7), with modifications to
accommodate the recommended stresses in Ref. 11.6. Allowable stresses in the
reinforcement are given in table (Ref. 11.6).
Table (Ref. 11.7)
Type and limit of stress

Axial compression, fc

Concrete situ-cast and precast

Temporarya Service load
stresses fci, stresses fc, psi
psi
0.55fci
0.45 fc

Shotcrete situ-cast
Temporarya
Service load
stresses fgi, psi
stresses fg,
psi
0.45fgi
0.38 fg
But not more

Axial tension
Flexural compression, fc
Maximum flexural tensionb, ft

0
0.55 fci

0
0.4 fc

3
200 psi

Minimum residual compression, fcv

than 1600+40
tcpsi
0
0.45 fgi

0
0.38 fg
200psi

aBefore
bFiber

creep and shrinkage losses.

stress in precomposed tension zone.

Table Ref. 11.6

Type of stress
Tendon jacking force
Immediately after prestress transfer
Post-tensioning tendons at anchorage and
couplers, immediately after tendon
anchorage
Service load stress, fpe
Nonprestressed mild steel at intital
prestressing, fsi
60 grade steel
Corrosive storage
Dry storage

Max allowable stress*

0.94fpy0.85fpu
0.82fpy0.75fpu
0.70fpu

0.55fpu
fy/1.6
24,000
18,000
fy/1.8

*1,000 psi = 6,895

REQUIRED STRENGTH LOAD FACTORS

The structure, together with its components and foundations, whould hace
to be design strength exceeds the effect of factored load combinations specified
by ACI 318, ANSI/ASCE 7-95, or as justified by the engineer based on rational
analysis, with the following exceptions:
Feature
Initial liquid pressure
Internal lateral pressire from dry material
Prestressing forces:
Final prestress after losses
Strength reduction factor for both reinforcement
and concrete,

Load factor
1.3
1.7
1.7
0.9

The nominal moment strength equation Mn is similar to the one used for linear
prestressing, i.e.,


= ( )
2
Or

= ( ) + ( )
2
2
When mild vertical steel is used and
Where = vertical restressing steel per unit width of circumference, in2.
fps = stress in prestressed reinforcement at nominal strength, psi
fy = yield strength of mild steel, psi

MINIMUM WALL-DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

Circumferential forces
Liquid
Initial = ( )

per foot of wall

Backfill
Initial = ( + )
Where t is the total wall thickness.

Thickness and Stresses

Core Wall Thickness
=

Final Stress Due to Backfill and Initial Prestress

=

+
.

Deflection. The unrestrained initial elastic radial deflection of the wall due to
initial prestressing is
=

Where

r = tank inner radius, tco = thickness fo wall at top or bottom of wall,

Ec = 57,00 psi for both normal-weight concrete and shotcrete.

The final radial deflection f = 1.7i

Restraint Effects
Maximum Vertical Wall Bending Due to Radial Shear
= 0.240
This moment occurs at a distance
= 0.68
From the base or top edge.
Radial shear for monolithic base details which may be assumed to provide
hinged connection

= 0.38

This type of detail should be used only with situ-cast tanks which incorporate a
diaphragm in their wall construction.

Mild Steel for Base Anchorge. If a diaphragm is used, extend the full area
of the inside bars in a U-shape distance
1 = 1.4
Above the base. If no diaphragm is used, extend to
2 = 1.8
Above the base. Note that anchroge length has to be added to 1 or 2 . The
minimum area of nominal vertical steel at the base region is
= 0.003
And should be extended above the base a distance of 3 ft or
3 = 0.75
Whichever is greater.

Minimum Wall Thickness

Situ-Cast Walls
Type of tank
Shotcrete-steel diaphragm tanks
Tanks without vertical prestressing
Tanks with vertical prestressing

Minimum wall thickness

3.5 in.
8 in.
7 in.

Precast walls
Types of tank
Tanks with vertical pretensioning and external
circumferential prestress
Tanks with vertical pretensioning and internal
circumferential prestress
Tanks with vertical post-tensioning and internal
circumferential prestress

Minimum wall thickness

5 in.
6 in.
7 in.

It should be noted that for tanks prestressed with tendons a thickness not less than
9 in. is advisable for practical considerations.

CRACK
CONTROL
IN
WALLS
PRESTRESSED CONCRETE TANKS

OF

CIRCULAR

Vessey and Preston in Ref. 11.14 recommend the following expression

based on Nawys work in Ref. 11.15 for the maximum crack width at the exterior
surface of the prestressed tank wall:
= 4.1 106
Where = tensile surface strain in the concrete
8 2 1

Ix = grid index = (

2 = reinforcement spacing in direction 2

1 = reinforcement spacing in perpendicular direction 1 (horizontal)
= concrete cover to centre of steel
1 =

diameter of steel in main direction 1.

The tensile strain can be computed from

Where = stress parameter /

= actual stress in the prestressing steel
= initial prestress before losses.
For liquid-retaining tanks, the maximum allowable crack width is 0.004 in.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE FOR THE DESIGN

CIRCULAR PRESTRESSED CONCRETE TANKS

OF

The following trial and adjustment procedure is recommended for designing

a prestressed concrete circular tank:
1. Select the prestressing system, the type of prestressing wire, the concrete
strength, and the type of restraint that can be accomplished under local
conditions.
2. Determine the contained material pressure on the wall: H for liquid and p
for gas. Use the trapezoidal distribution for granular or solid containment.
Find the unit ring force F = H for a completely sliding base, where r is the
radius of the tank and y is the distance above the base.
3. Choose, the applicable vertical moment coefficients for the particular load
type and wall base restraint condition caused by liquid pressure
1
= + [ () + ()]

And determine the corresponding horizontal radial ring tensions

= +(2 1)

12(1 2 )

And = ( ), where the offset

6(1 2 )
= +
( () + ())
3 2
And

[3(1 2 )]
=
()12

1
4

Where 0.20 for concrete.

4. Find the applicable membrane coefficients C. compute the appliocable ring
force F = CHr.
5. Compute the critical vertical moments in the wall using the applicable
membrane coefficient C . the equation for kmoment due to liquid is
= (3 + 2 )
Or
= 2
Due to gas load if applicable. Compute the moment at the base, where
applicable, and at the critical y plane above the base.
6. Choose the level of vertical prestressing force.
7. Compute the concrete stresses across the thickness of the wall both for the
condition when the tank is empty and for when it is totally full. Allow
maximum residual axial compressive stress fcv = 200 psi at service and a
maximum tensile stress ft = 3 .
8. Design both the horizontal and the vertical prestressing steel limiting stresses.
9. Compute the factored moment using the applicable load factors. The
required = / , where = 0.9. compute the available nominal
moment strength = ( 2), or = ( 2) +
( 2). The available has to be greater than or equal to the
required .
10. Design the length L of the annular ring at the base of the wall from the
equation

=
()
+
()

Where t is the thickness of the wall and h the thickness of the base slab.
11. Compute the percentage of prestress in the base to be transferred to the wall
from the formula

1
1+

Where S = 1.1 (h/t) x (/)12 .

When only the outer rim of the slab ring is compressed by radial thrust at the rim,
the value of S is modified to
2

1 1
1 = ( ) ( )

Where

2 + 2
=( 2
)
2
In which

do = outer diameter
d = inner slab ring diameter = do - 2L.

12. Check the minimum wall thickness requirements, and evaluate the
unrestrained initial elastic radial deflection

=

Where
r = tank inner radius, tco = thickness fo wall at top or bottom

13.

of wall, Ec = 57,00 psi for both normal-weight concrete and shotcrete.

The final radial deflection f = 1.7i
Anchor the steel from the base to the wall such that the steel extends into

the wall a distance 2 = 1.8 or 3ft, whichever is greater. Also, ensure

that the minimum nominal vertical steel at the base region is
= 0.005
14.

Verify the maximum crack width = 4.1 106

Where = tensile surface strain in the concrete

8 2 1

Ix = grid index = (

2 = reinforcement spacing in direction 2

1 = reinforcement spacing in perpendicular direction 1 (horizontal)
= concrete cover to centre of steel

1 =

diameter of steel in main direction 1.

The tensile strain can be computed from

=

Where = stress parameter /

= actual stress in the prestressing steel
= initial prestress before losses.
For liquid-retaining tanks, the maximum allowable crack width is 0.004 in.
15.
Design the roof cover dome after selecting the type of connection at
the top of the tank wall. Limited the ratio of the rise h of the dome to its
base d such that h/d does not exceed 1/8.
Compute the required horizontal radial prestressing force P for the edge beam
from the equation.
=

( )
( ) +

Where

=
cos ]
(cos 2)
[
2 1 + cos
4 sin
= (

+
)
1 + cos
2

And
h = total depth of rim beam
b = ring beam width
WD = intensity of self-weight of shell per unit area (dead load)
WL = intensity of live-load projection.
16.

Compute the ring-edge beam cross section

=

Where Pi = initial prestressing force = P/

 = residual stress percentage

fc = allowable compressive stress in the concrete, not to exceed 0.2 fc but not
more than 800-900 psi, in the edge beam.
17.

Compute the area of the edge beam prestressing tendon

Where fsi is the allowable stress in the prestressing steel before losses, or
cot

It is accurate analysis is not performed. In the latter, W is the total dead and live
load on the dome due to WD + WL and fpe is the effective prestress after losses.
18.
i.e.,

Check the minimum dome thickness required to withstand buckling,

Min. =
Where

1.5

a = radius of dome shell

Pu = ultimate uniformly distributed design unit pressure due to dead load

and live load = ( 1.4 D + 1.7L)/144
= strength reduction factor for material variability = 0.7
i = buckling reduction factor for deviations from true spherical surface
due to imperfections.
i = (a/ri)2 where ri 1.4a
c = buckling reduction factor for creep, material nonlinearity, and
cracking = 0.44 + 0.003 WL but not to exceed 0.53
Ec = initial modulus of concrete = 57,000 .

References;
Prestressed-Concrete-A-Fundamental-Approach-5th-Ed-Nawy
http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/volume-97/issue-14/in-this-issue/pipeline/decommissioningconcrete-c-3-tank-poses-safety-concerns.html
http://www.abam.com/blog/2013/12/innovation-in-using-precast-prestressed-concrete-forliquefied-natural-gas-storage
http://www.waterworld.com/articles/print/volume-31/issue-12/water-connections/saws-utilizesprestressed-concrete-storage-tank-for-durable-solution.html
http://www.engineeringcivil.com/economics-of-r-c-c-water-tank-resting-over-firm-ground-vis-a-visprestessed-concrete-water-tank-resting-over-firm-ground.html
http://www.wedotanks.com/precast-concrete-tanks.html