STORAGE TANK FOUNDATIONS

DESIGN GUIDELINES

BY:
USMAN ASLAM
WAQAS RIAZ
SHAHID SALIM
TABLE OF CONTENTS

 PURPOSE
 SCOPE
 REFERENCES
 TYPES & SELECTION OF TANK FOUNDATION
 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
OBJECTIVE

TO DEVELOP A GUIDELINE FOR THE

SELECTION AND DESIGN OF FOUNDATIONS
FOR ABOVEGROUND ATMOSPHERIC STORAGE
TANKS
SCOPE

This document covers the “Criteria for Selection of

Foundation for Aboveground, atmospheric
Storage Tanks”.
REFERENCES

 API 650 (ADDENDUM 4)

 ASCE 7-02
 ABOVE GROUND STORAGE TANKS
(BY: PHILIP E. MYERS)
TYPES OF TANK FOUNDATIONS

 COMPACTED SOIL
 CRUSHED STONE RING WALL
 CONCRETE RING WALL
 SLAB
 PILE SUPPORTED
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
OF VARIOUS FOUNDATION TYPES

FDN TYPE ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

COMPACTED SOIL  Low Cost  Subject to local edge and
differential settlement.
 Higher potential for bottom
side pitting corrosion
 Unexpected high local
settlement may occur.
CRUSHED STONE  Low Cost  Subject to edge settlement
RING WALL  It allows for more uniform soil and differential shell
loading at the expense of settlement.
slightly larger tank deformations
CONCRETE RING  Provides plane base for tank  Relatively costly
WALL construction  Ineffective or costly where
 Minimizes the entry of water to soils are poor.
the tank bottom, thus corrosion
problems.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
OF VARIOUS FOUNDATION TYPES

FDN TYPE ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Continued….  Prevents erosion of
CONCRETE RING WALL supporting soil under
tanks
 Good distribution of
concentrated shell loads
 Provides a controlled
variable force resisting
uplift by adjustment of
ring width
CONCRETE SLAB  Provides plane base for  High cost
tank construction  Slab subject to cracking
 Minimizes the entry of on shifting or settling of
water to the tank bottom, soil
thus corrosion problems  Cannot use cathodic
 Prevents erosion of protection
supporting soil under tanks
 Can act as leak detection
liner
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
OF VARIOUS FOUNDATION TYPES

FDN TYPE ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

PILE SUPPORTED  Minimizes most kinds of  Very Costly
settlements  Requires good soil info
and procedures
SELECTION CRITERIA

Number of factors contribute to the selection of Foundation

Type. Generally following are the key factors influencing
selection of Tank Foundation Type:
 TANK SIZE
 SOIL BEARING
 ANCHORAGE
 SETTLEMENT (Covered in Advantages/Disadvantages)
 COST (Covered in Advantages/Disadvantages)
SELECTION CRITERIA

General Guide Lines for Selection of Foundation Type

FDN TYPE TANK SIZE SOIL BEARING ANCHORAGE

(FOR UPLIFT)
COMPACTED Suitable for any Only suitable for Anchorage is not
SOIL Size Good soils possible

CRUSHED STONE Suitable for any Can be used in Anchorage is not

RING WALL Size Poor Soils possible

CONCRETE RING Tank Dia Good to Medium Anchorage can be

WALL exceeding 30’ Soils done
SELECTION CRITERIA

General Guide Lines for Selection of Foundation Type

(Continued…)

FDN TYPE TANK SIZE SOIL ANCHORAGE

BEARING (FOR UPLIFT)

CONCRETE SLAB Tank Dia less Is not a critical Anchorage can be

than 30’ consideration done

PILE SUPPORTED Any Size (other Used only for Anchorage can be
Fdns cannot be very poor soils done
used)
SELECTION CRITERIA

General Guide Lines for Selection of Foundation Type

(Continued…)

Another consideration for the selection of foundation type is

the Shell Load. For tank roof entirely supported on shell (i.e.
no intermediate support), shell load will be high. For higher
shell loads “CONCRETE RING WALL” is the best option
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR TANK
FOUNDATION

 BASIC LOADS
The following Basic Loads are considered for Tank Foundation
design:
 DEAD LOAD (DL)
 STORED LIQUID (F)
 HYDROSTATIC TEST (HT)
 ROOF LIVE LOAD (LR)
 SNOW LOAD (S)
 WIND LOAD (W)
 SEISMIC LOAD (E)
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR TANK
FOUNDATION (Cont’d)

BASIC LOADS (Cont’d)

 DESIGN INTERNAL PRESSURE (PI)
 DESIGN TEST PRESSURE (PT)
All these loads are calculated and provided by Mechanical Department
in the form of General Arrangement drawings.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR TANK
FOUNDATION (Cont’d)

 LOAD COMBINATIONS – STABILITY CHECK

Stability of Storage Tank Foundation is checked against the following
Load Combinations:
 Erection with Wind: (D + W)
 Erection with Earthquake: (0.9D + E)
 Operation without Wind: (D + Lr + F + Pi)
 Operation with Wind: (D + Lr + F + Pi + W)
 Operation with Earthquake: (D + Lr + F + Pi + E)
 Test: (D + Ht + Pt + 0.5(Lr or S)) &
(D + Ht + Pt + 0.5(Lr or S) + 0.6W)
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR TANK
FOUNDATION (Cont’d)

 LOAD COMBINATIONS – SECTION DESIGN

Section Design of Tank Foundation is carried out using following Load
Combinations:
 Erection with Wind: (0.6D + 1.6W)
 Erection with Earthquake: (0.9D + 1.4E)
 Operation without Wind: (1.2D + 1.6(Lr or S) + 1.6F + 1.6Pi)
 Operation with Wind: (1.2D + 1.6(Lr or S) + 1.6F + 1.6W + Pi)
 Operation with Earthquake: ((1.2D + (Lr or S) + F + 1.4W + Pi)
 Test: (1.2D + 1.6Ht + 1.6Pt + 0.8(Lr or S)) &
(1.2D + Ht + Pt + 0.5(Lr or S) + 0.96W)
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR TANK
FOUNDATION (Cont’d)

 ANCHORAGE
Anchorage system design (No. of anchor bolts, anchor chairs,
BCD, anchor bolt diameter) is the scope of Mechanical
Department. Only Length of Anchor Bolt is the Scope of
Civil Department.

 TANK GRADES (Foundation Elevation)

The grade or surface on which tank bottom will rest should be
constructed at least 0.3m above the surrounding ground
surface. This will provide suitable drainage, help keep the tank
bottom dry and compensate for some small settlement that is
likely to occur.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR TANK
FOUNDATION (Cont’d)

 TANK GRADES (Foundation Elevation)

(Continued)
If a large settlement is expected, tank bottom elevation shall be
raised so that final elevation above grade will be minimum of
150 mm after settlement.