Measurement of strain and determination of stress state using a multi-chamber vertical cylindrical tank model

Abstract

Abstract Designing a new construction of large-volume multi-chamber tanks or converting existing single-chamber tanks into multi-chamber for storage of various types of petroleum products is a very demanding and responsible job, from the aspect of strain-stress analysis and the need to ensure structural integrity. From a wide range of conducted theoretical and experimental-numerical research, this paper singles out the applied method of similarity mechanics. The research was performed on a model of a four-chamber tank with dimensions reduced by 20 times (1:20) in relation to the real tank, made of steel sheets of quality S.0361. During the cold-water pressure test on the tank model (hydro test), the change of strain and stress state was monitored in the zones that were defined as critical by the preliminary numerical analysis by the finite element method (FEM). The results of these measurements, along with other reliable methods, can be very useful in the design of multi-chamber tanks with 5.000 m3 volume.