| Abstract: |
Ground supported reinforced concrete (RC) water storage tanks are critical lifeline structures whose survival during and immediately after a seismic event governs firefighting capability, potable-water supply and public-health resilience [1]. This paper presents an empirical investigation into the structural behaviour and earthquake-resistant design of ground-supported rectangular and circular RC tanks, integrating hydrodynamic theory, finite-element simulation and code-based design verification. Fifteen prototype tanks with capacities ranging from 250 m3 to 4000 m3 were modelled using the two-mass Housner idealisation to separate impulsive and convective liquid actions, and were analysed under three soil categories and four seismic zones. Base shear, overturning moment, hydrodynamic wall pressure, sloshing wave height and hoop tension were extracted and statistically evaluated against hydrostatic baselines. Results demonstrate that the impulsive component contributes 62-78% of total base shear in stiff shallow tanks, whereas the convective component dominates free-board demand in slender tanks. Seismic wall pressure exceeded hydrostatic pressure by 34-71% at the base, and soft-soil sites amplified base shear by up to 2.3 times relative to rock sites. Regression analysis established a strong correlation (R2 = 0.94) between the height-to-length ratio and the impulsive mass fraction. The study confirms that free-board provision, wall-base junction detailing and controlled convective response are decisive for damage-free performance. The empirical relationships and comparative data reported here support the abstract premise and conclusion that rational, hydrodynamically informed design substantially improves the seismic reliability of ground-supported RC water tanks and reduces the risk of leakage-induced serviceability failure during moderate-to-strong earthquakes [2]. |
