Hydrodynamic damping due to baffles in a rectangular tank

Abstract

The present paper describes the prediction of hydrodynamic damping due to baffles in a fluid-filled rectangular tank or reservoir undergoing horizontal oscillations. The estimation of hydrodynamic damping involves an assessment of the total energy in the fluid associated with sloshing motions and the average rate of energy dissipation due to flow separation around the baffles. Experimental measurements of hydrodynamic damping have been carried out to validate the theoretical model and to investigate the effectiveness of various baffle configurations. Recommendations are made regarding the assessment of hydrodynamic damping in earthquake engineering applications.Key words: baffles, hydrodynamic damping, sloshing, tanks.