Structural Optimization 16, 226-229 (~) Springer-Verlag 1998

Brief

Note

O p t i m a l d e s i g n of a horizontal circular t a n k w i t h ellipsoidal

heads
K. M a g n u c k i

Institute of Technology, Pedagogical University of Zielona Gdra, al. Wojska Polskiego 69, PL-65-625 Zielona G6ra, Poland

Abstract
A horizontal circular tank, supported at both ends,
is loaded by internal or external pressure. In the design process
of such structures the proper choice of basic dimensions to ensure
minimal mass may cause a problem. In this paper the optimal
radii, lengths and wall thicknesses of a series of tanks of given
capacity have been defined. The results of numerical analysis are
presented in the form of diagrams.

pressure Pi, being the sum of the hydrostatic pressure of a

liquid having mass density Pro, contained in the tank, and an
additional uniform pressure Po. The second load is constant
external pressure Pext.

Introduction

Shells may be optimized by parametric or variational shaping. A detailed classification of optimization problems, together with many examples,, particularly focused on variational shaping, is given by Zyczkowski (1990). For practical solutions of shell optimization computer methods are required. Ringertz (1992) presented numerical methods for optimization of nonlinear shell structures. The methods were
illustrated by two examples of parametric optimization related to a cylindrical panel with a rib and a cylindrical panel
with a circular hole. Zhou and Haftka (1995) presented a generalization of continuum optimality criteria methods (COC).
They developed multiple displacement constraints and multiple load conditions. Kru~elecki (1997) determined optimal
dimensions of a barrel-shaped cylindrical shell, loaded by an
axial force and external pressure. For solution purposes the
use was made of the concept of uniform stability of the shell.
Magnucki and Szyc (1996) determined the optimal, rectangle delimited shape of the cross-section of a cylindrical shell
loaded by constant internal pressure.
The paper considers a horizontal circular tank with ellipsoidal heads, loaded by internal or external pressure (Fig.
1). The tank, of required capacity Vo, may be designed in
many ways, e.g. as a short tank of big diameter, or as a long
one, of small diameter. The optimization problem is, in this
case, of parametric type and resolves into determination of
its radius a, length L, wall thicknesses t 1 and t 2 , giving the
least mass of the tank. Wilby (1977) similarly formulated
the problem of reasonable choice of the basic dimensions of
a vertical cylindrical tank of circular cross-secti0n.

Fig. 1. Circular cylindrycal tank with ellipsoidal heads

In the first load case the tank walls are subject to internal normal pressure, provided that the dead weight of the
structure is neglected
Pint = P(~) = PO + ~'ma(1

(1)

cos!a),

where 7m = g *pm is the specific weight of the medium, and

g = 9.81 m / s 2.
Making use of the membrane theory of shells, discussed
in detail by Fliigge (1973) or recently by Farshad (1992),
longitudinal az and circumferential a~ stresses of the cylindrical tank wall can be determined. Maximal values of these
stresses occur in the lower part of the central cross-section
and amount to

2t--

+ 7ma +

'

rma2( PO)

(2)

where A = L/a is a dimensionless parameter of the cylinder

length.
The effective (ttuber-Mises) stress is
~rred =

- -

- ~z(r~

+ o-2

Strength constraint

A vertical cylindrical tank of circular cross-section (Fig. 1) is

subject to two different loads. The first load is an internal

(3)
4t 2

+ 27ma]

'

227
The strength condition %ed -< C~allow gives the required

@2 _~n2) 2

thickness of cylindrical part of the tank, as

_ 4aallow

- 1

(4)

where C~allow is the allowable stress.

Tank supports may cause important increase of the stress
due to bending. However, a suitable shape of the support
may reduce its unfavourable effect. An exemplary solution
of such a support, obtained by means of FEM, was obtained
by Maguncki et hi. (1997). In the region of contact between
the ellipsoidal head and the cylindrical part of the tank a
local stress concentration arises, as discussed by Spence and
Tooth (1994). On the grounds of the theory of boundary displacements numerical analyses and experimental verification
of stress concentration occuring in this region were carried
out by Magnucki et al. (1994). The least concentration of
reduced stress in the tank of dimension proportion b/a = 0.5
occurs when the cylinder to ellipsoid thickness ratio satisfies
the condition
e

Xl~

= X~-'

(5)

where x I = t2/tl, x 2 = a/t2, c = 0.84, a = 0.0572.

The minimal value of stress concentration coefficient is
_ dmax/,g(cyl)
(cyl) = (v'~/2) x 2 is
f~r = Ore
red = 1.12, where (rred
the effective stress in cylindrical shell. Taking the above into
account one can modify (4), therefore the following wall thickness of cylindrical part of the tank is assumed:

t 2 - - 4~allowTrna2~ 8 (

l+~--~ma/p0"]2 q_ ( ~

_1)2

k4

uk 2)

'

where k --= rr~ = ~, n is the number of circular waves, E is

Young's modulus, and ~, is Poisson's ratio.
The stability condition of the tank is of the form Pc <_
PCR, where Pc = fb * Pext, and fb is the buckling safety
factor. Due to the condition and taking (8) into account, one
can derive algebraic equation of the third-order
9

- ,2x

- "0 : 0,

(9)

where
E
k4
B 2 = -Pc ( l k 2 + n 2 _ 1) (k 2 + n2) 2 '

B 0 ----

12 (1 - ~,2) Pc

l k2 + n 2 - 1

from which the value of dimensionless parameter x 2 = a/t 2

may be obtained for the assumed value of the external pressure Pc. Thus, the wall thickness t 2 is obtained, delimited by
the stability condition.

(7)

The wall thickness of cylindrical part of the tank determined

this way corresponds only to the first load case and results
from the strength condition.

Objective function

The tank is a thin-walled structure, consisting of two ellipsoidal heads, characterized by the ratio b/a -= 0.5, and a
cylindrical shell (Fig. 1). The capacity Vo of the tank is usually slightly oversized, as for the mathematical description a
middle surface, instead of external and internal ones, is taken
into account. Hence
Vo = 2VI + V2 =~ra3 ( ~ +

(6)

Considering (5) the head thickness is

tI = ~x~.

~2

n2) 2

)~) ,

(10)

Stability c o n s t r a i n t

In the second load case the tank walls are subject only to
constant external normal pressure Pext, provided that the
dead weight of the structure is neglected. Therefore buckling
may occur. A comprehensive description of the stability of
shells subjected to various loads is given by Volmir (1967). He
drew attention to simplification made in the theory of shells
and their effect on critical loads. His general considerations
were illustrated with many detailed examples. Making use
of his conclusions one may write the following formula for
the critical load of a circular cylindrical shell, loaded with
external pressure:
PCR = E (~t2~3min ; Q ;
\hi
n kltj'

where V1 = ~a 3 is the capacity of ellipsoidal head, V2 =

~ra2L is the capacity of the cylindrical shell.
Therefore, a dimensionless parameter, describing the tank
length for given capacity, may be written as

~_yo

~ra3

3'

(11)

The mass of the tank

ms -- 2m I + m2 = 27rpsa 2 (~tl -I- At2) ,

(12)

where m 1 = rc~pstl a2 is the mass of ellipsoidal head, ~ =

1+ 4 - t - l n (v~-t- 2) ~ 1.38017 m 2 -- 2~rpst2aL is the mass of
cylindrical shell, and Ps is mass density of the vessel material.

228
Introducing the head thickness (7) one obtains the objective function in the following form:
ms =

(~x~ )

27ra2t2 ~ e 2 + ~

Ps -~ 2~ra2t2 (1.6431x~ +)~) P s ,

(13)

where the dimensionless length parameter A is determined

by (11), while the wall thickness t 2 is given by (6), when a
strength condition prevails, or by the root of (9), when a stability condition is decisive. Thus, the optimization problem
is of parametric type and consists in such a choice of the a
radius of the cylinder, for which the objective function, i.e.
the tank mass, takes the least value.

Numerical results

The numerical analysis was applied to the series of steel tanks

of capacities V0 = 25, 50, 100,200,300 m 3. In the first load
case the tanks are filled with water of specific weight 7m =
9.81 k N / m 3 and, additionally, subject to constant internal
pressure P0 = 2.5 MPa. In the second load case they are
affected only by constant external pressure Pc = fbPext = 0.1
MPa. The following properties of steel have been assumed:
Young's modulus E = 2.05,105 MPa, Poisson's ratio u = 0.3,
and allowable stress aallow = 330 MPa or gallow = 250 MPa.

10

20 30

50

100

Fig. 3. Optimal radius aopt

200 300 500 Vo[m3]

capacity 110 graph

t2opt
m S

[kg]
17
30.10I

16
15

29-1ff

J/.,

14

l ~

13
12
11

28.1 0 ~

27.10~
1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5] 1.6 1.7 118i 1.9
o,I

~1"

"r

",r-

Fig. 2. Graph of the objective function

The objective function (13) of every considered tank was
of similar shape. For example, Fig. 2 shows the objective
function of the tank of capacity V0 -- 200 m 3. The minimal
value of the objective function, i.e. the mass of the structure,
is achieved when the wall thickness t 2 of the cylindrical shell
simultaneously approaches both strength and stability conditions. For the case limited only by the strength condition,
the objective function has a minimum (M2) , which corresponds to the least function value. Optimal dimensions, the
radius aop t and thickness t2opt, corresponding to point M 1
for assumed series of tanks are shown in Figs. 3 and 4, in
the form of diagrams. The dashed lines represent an optimal
solution for the tank made of steel of less allowable stress
~allow = 250 MPa.

J/
//

,,/

10

a[m~

""

t/
f

7
10

9 J

20 30

50

100

200 300 500 Vo[m3]

Fig. 4. Optimal thickness t2opt - capacity V0 graph

6

Conclusions

Optimal solutions achieved for a cylindrical pressure tank

are characterized by almost constant dimensionless length
parameters ~ = L / a and z 2 : a / t 2,
For the other
tanks of the series, made of the steel of allowable stress
equal to crallow -- 330 MPa, these parameters are of the
following values A -- 9.36,9.37,9.44,9.50,9.56 and z 2 =
130.0,129.8,129.4,129.0,128.6. The presented solution for

229
the parametric optimization allows reasonable acceptance of
the dimensions of pressure tanks.
References

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Received Jan. i, 1998

Revised manuscript received April P2, 1998

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