STRUCTURAL DESIGN ASSIGNMENT 3

KRIPA PANJARI
ROLL NO: BARCH1721

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF STORAGE TANKS

 All storage tanks must be:

 Durable and water-tight

 Built / placed on a strong and stable substrate which can support the tank filled with water

 Opaque, so that light cannot enter the tank. The presence of light can cause algal growth in the
stored water.

 Have a strong, secure and impervious cover which is always kept shut, unless being cleaned.
Manholes must be present to allow access for cleaning but these too must be secured properly
to ensure that nothing can fall into the tank. The cover and manhole should not allow dust,
insects or light to enter the tank. Some RWH projects have reported that small animals have
fallen into storage tanks and died, increasing risk of bacteriological contamination. Care should
be taken to prevent such occurrences.

 Have all vents, including the overflow pipe, covered with an insect proof mesh to keep out
mosquitoes and other insects as well as stray dirt. Care must be taken to ensure that
mosquitoes cannot breed in the storage tank, since they are the source of many diseases.

 Located as close as possible to demand and supply points, so that plumbing is reduced

 Situated as high as possible (but at least a couple of feet below the catchment discharge points)
to reduce pumping loads.

 The overflow pipe should be just below the tank / sump cover so that there is no ‘dead space’
and the tank can be used to its maximum capacity. The overflow pipe should divert the excess
water away from the sump and the foundations of other buildings and structures. This water
should be directed to gardens or into the storm water drain and should not create slushy areas.
A reverse U bend should be installed at the end of the overflow pipe so that light and other
impurities do not enter the tank.

 Water should be extracted from the tank / sump only by means of a tap or pump. Taps or draw
off pipes should not be very close to the bottom of the tank, since there is likelihood of
sedimentation and the dirt should be allowed to settle and remain in the tank until cleaned. If
the dirt enters the water outlet pipe and the plumbing network it can cause blockages.
STORAGE TANK MATERIALS
Storage tanks are commonly constructed with the following materials:

 Brickwork with cement plastering

 Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC)

 Ferro cement

 Plastic or polypropylene

Tanks made of galvanized iron are not advised since they are more prone to rusting or paint peel-off.
These would be causes for concern, especially in coastal areas where the durability is further reduced.
Recycled oil drums are used for water storage in poor communities but these are also not advised since
they are prone to contamination.
STEEL TANKS

STEEL OVER HEAD TANK

STEEL UNDERGROUND TANK

Stainless steel offers the most versatility. It is resistant to rust, which inherently offers a longer lifespan
than carbon steel, and offers far more durability than plastic or fiberglass. It is also generally able to
withstand higher and lower temperatures than the other three options. Finally, stainless steel is staining
resistant and easily cleaned for high purity applications. However, all these benefits come at a cost, as
stainless steel is typically the most expensive of the four material options listed.

Stainless steel tanks are commonly used in the pharmaceutical, energy, and chemical industries, in
addition to being widely used in the food and beverage industry.

Advantages of steel tanks

1. Durability- Unlike concrete tanks that are prone to cracking and leaking, welded steel tanks are
leak-free. This is important, because not only can a crack jeopardize the integrity of a tank’s
structure and make for an expensive, lengthy repair but, also, if a crack is left untreated,
moisture will collect, bacteria can form, and the sanitation of your stored goods is compromised.
2. Longevity- Stainless steel tanks are highly resistant to the effects of corrosion and other natural
elements like heat. In fact, SS is so resistant to rust and corrosion that internal and external
coatings aren’t even needed to protect the base metal. SS also remains ductile through all
temperature ranges, is fire resistant, and is unaffected by exposure to UV light, which can
damage paint and other coatings.
3. Hygienic and Eco-friendly- stainless steel is resistant to corrosion and leaking, making it the ideal
storage tank for water. While concrete storage tanks can leach calcium into water supplies if not
coated correctly, SS tanks will keep the water clean and unaffected. It should come as no
surprise that hospitals are required to use stainless steel tanks for this reason. Finally, not only is
SS 100% recyclable, but over 50% of new SS comes from re-melted SS scrap, greatly reducing the
environmental footprint left behind.

Disadvantages of steel tanks

1. Expensive- Stainless steel tanks are quite often more expensive

2. Susceptible to corrosion
3. Stainless steel tanks have been known to crack at the welds when used in high performance
applications.
MASONRY UNDERGROUND TANKS
Brick cement tanks

Brick cement tanks are a low-cost option for storing water gained through water harvesting. They are
cheaper than ferro-cement tanks and easier to build. In clay areas, be sure to build the tank robustly
enough to resist cracking. Ground tanks should always be designed as either hemispherical (half ball
shape) or cylindrical because those shapes equalize the pressure of water and soil whether the tanks are
full or empty (square or rectangular tanks will always crack).

Water extraction can be done using gravity, Handpumps or other pumps, or with a bucket.

Suitable conditions

 The area should be suitable for rooftop rainwater harvesting. Volumes can be 0.5 to 30 m3.

 Tanks should not be located near a pit latrine/toilet or rubbish or on an ant hill.

 Avoid building the tank next to a tree as the roots may undermine the foundation and dry leaves
will block gutters.

 The height of the gutters should be higher than the proposed tank height.

 Do not site tanks where heavy vehicles will pass close to tank foundations.
PVC TANKS

UNGERGROUND PVC TANK

 OVERHEAD PVC TANK

Advantages of PVC storage tanks

Lightweight

Plastic Water Tanks are significantly lighter than steel tanks. This is due to the fact that the material that
they are using is plastic, which is lightweight in itself.

Colour Options

Because plastic is such a versatile and widely used material, there is a wide range of colours to be
chosen from when you purchase a plastic water tank.

Affordable

Plastic is affordable (for the most part) due to the fact that it is widely used and readily available.

15-25 year Lifetime

Most Plastic Water Tanks claim to last for 15-25 years (depending on which company you buy from). But
the warranty or guarantee only lasts between 3 – 6 years (depending on supplier/manufacturer)

Disadvantages of PVC storage tanks

Not Eco Friendly

As we all know, plastic takes (generally) between 10 – 1000 years to degrade. Because a plastic tank is so
big and thick, we can assume that the number is on the far end of that scale when it comes to how long
it takes to degrade.

Furthermore, plastic tanks can not be made from recycled materials due to health and safety laws.
Additionally, once your tank has outlived it’s usefulness you can try to re purpose it, or cut it up and
send it to a recycling plant. Taking it to a recycling plant is the responsible thing to do, but this still
contributes to the massive plastic waste epidemic we are facing worldwide.
Colour Fades

While you do have a wide range of colours available when initially purchasing your tank, the colour can
start to fade after a few years of direct sunlight and exposure to various weathering factors.

Unfortunately, it is a fat that UV rays can play a significant part in the damaging and fading of the plastic
tanks. While there are certain measures put in place by manufacturers (when dealing with reputable
water tank manufacturers) to prevent this from happening, it is not a 100% gaurantee that you water
tank will stay crisp and strong with prolonged exposure to direct sun.

Heated Water

Black and dark blue plastic water tanks are notorious for heating up the water in the tanks. Why is this a
problem? Firstly, when using water directly from the tank for household use, you will usually have luke-
warm to warm water flowing out of the cold taps. Additionally, and more concerning, is the fact that
higher water temperature is conducive to algae growth.

When you are using the water in your storage tank for drinking water, this could be harmful.

Difficult to transport

Plastic water tanks are lightweight, but that does not mean that they are easy to transport. Most water
tanks are manufactured in one piece, meaning that there are no seams etc. While this is beneficial to
prevent leaks and other complications it may post as a disadvantage when it comes to transport.

If you are purchasing a water tank that is 10 000 litres, you must be aware of the fact that it won’t be a
small tank. In fact, you might struggle to load it onto a bakkie and will require a small truck.
Furthermore, the bigger the tank, the more hassle it is for transport. Some of the plastic tanks for
agricultural and industrial use is are so big that they require an “abnormal load” sign and special
precautions due to the height and width of the water tank.