The Islamic University of Gaza

Department of Civil Engineering

Design of Rectangular Concrete Tanks

Approximate Analysis

Design of Rectangular Concrete Tanks

In closed rectangular tanks with sliding base,

the full water pressure is resisted horizontally

Deep Tanks

Where H/L>2 and H/B >2

The effect of fixation of the wall will be limited to a
small part at the base
The rest of the wall will resist water pressure
horizontally by closed frame action

(3/4H)

Deep Tanks: Square sections

It is assumed that the maximum internal pressure take
place at H from the top or 1m from the bottom
whichever greater

pL2
MC
12
2
pL
Mm
24

at support

Mm
Mc

at center

Direct Tension :
3
Where: p H
4

pL
T
2

Deep Tanks: Rectangular sections

For rectangular tank in which L/B<2 or the tanks are
designed as continuous frame subjected to maximum
pressure at H/4 from the bottom
The bottom H/4 is designed as a cantilever
M1m
Mc
(3/4H)

M2m
L

Deep Tanks: Rectangular sections

It is assumed that the maximum internal pressure take
place at H from the top

p 2
M C L LB B 2
12
2
pL
Mc
M 1m
8
p 2
L 2LB 2B 2
24
M2m

at support
M1m
Mc
B

Deep Tanks: Rectangular sections

M 2m

pB 2
p

M c B 2 2LB 2L2
8
24

pB
Direct Tension in long Wall T
2
pL
Direct Tension in short Wall T
2
3
Where: p H
4

Deep Tanks: Rectangular sections

For rectangular tank in which L/B>2

The long wall are designed as a cantilever

The short walls as a slab fixed supported on the long walls

The bottom H/4 portion of the short wall is designed as a
cantilever.

Deep Tanks: Rectangular sections

Deep Tanks with L/B >2

For Long Wall

M base

H 3
6

3 B
T H
4 2
Direct Tension
3 B
T H
4 2

H
R=H/2
M=H3/6

Deep Tanks: Rectangular sections

Deep Tanks with L/B >2

For Short Wall

a) Horizontal Moment
2

M sup port

12
2

3
H
B

M center

4 24
a) Vertical Moment

3H

4

H
-

1
H 1 H H
M H

2
96
4 3 4

(3/4H)

wH2/24

wH2/12

Deep Tanks: Rectangular sections

Deep Tanks with L/B >2
Direct Tension
It is assumed that the end one meter width of the long wall
contribute to direct tension on the short wall

Direct Tension Short Wall

T 1H

B) Shallow Tanks
Where H/L and H/B <1/2
The water pressure is resisted by vertical action as follows:
a) Cantilever walls

Wall fixed to the floor and free at top may act as simple
cantilever walls (suitable for H<3 m)
Tension in the floor = Reaction at the base

Free cantilever of height H and supported on the two sides of

their length L must be treated as a slab supported on three
sides (if L<4 H)

H
R=H/2
M=H3/6

B) Shallow Tanks

b) Wall simply supported at top and fixed at Bottom

Wall act as one way slab and resist water pressure in vertical
direction (suitable for H<4.5 m)

R=0.1H
H3/33.5

H
H3/15

R=0.4H
M=H3/15

B) Shallow Tanks

c) Wall fixed at top and fixed at Bottom

M=H3/20
M=H3/20

R=0.15H

+
H3/46.6
M=H3/20

H
R=0.35H
M=H3/20

C) Medium Moderate Tanks

In moderate or medium tanks where
H H
0.5 & 2
L
B
The water pressure is resisted by vertical and horizontal action
Different approximate methods is used to determine the
internal distribution Some of them:
a) Approach 1: Deep tank action
b) Approach 2: Strip method (coefficient method)
c) General theory of flat plate.

C) Medium Moderate Tanks

Approach 1: Deep tank action
For rectangular tank in which L/B<2 or if L/H<2 the tanks are
designed as continuous frame subjected to maximum
pressure at H/4 from the bottom
The bottom H/4 is designed as a cantilever
M1m
Mc
(3/4H)

M2m
L

C) Medium Moderate Tanks

Approach 1: Deep tank action
For rectangular tank in which L/B>2

The long wall are designed as a cantilever

The short walls as a slab fixed supported on the long walls

The bottom H/4 portion of the short wall is designed as a
cantilever.

C) Medium Moderate Tanks

Approach 2: The Strip Method

This method gives approximate solution for

rectangular flat plates of constant thickness,
supported in four sides and subjected to uniform
hydrostatic pressure
Walls and floors supported on four sides and
having L/B<2 are treated as two-way slabs.
Grashof, Marcus, or Egyptian code coefficient can
be used to evaluate loads transferred in each
direction.

C) Medium Moderate Tanks

Approach 2: The Strip Method
Load distribution of two-way slabs subjected to triangular
loading is approximately the same as uniform load.

p=pv + ph
3H/4

H/4

Where:
Pv
Ph
p: hydrostatic pressure at specific depth
pv: Pressure resisted in the vertical direction
ph: Pressure resisted in the horizontal direction

C) Medium Moderate Tanks

Approach 2: The Strip Method

The fixed Moment at bottom due to pressure resisted

Ra
a
2
2
vertically
H
H
M f PV
Ph

15
117

3H/4

The shear at a
Ra Pv

H
H
Ph
10
540

H/4
Pv

Ph

The shear at b is evaluated from equilibrium

The moments due to horizontal pressure are evaluated as
discussed before at (3H/4)

Design of section subjected to eccentric load

If the resultant stress on the liquid side is compression the

section is to be designed as ordinary RC cracked section
If the resultant stress on the liquid side is tension the
section must have

Adequate resistance of cracking

Adequate strength
My N

fr
I
bt
6M N
'
f
2

c
bt 2 bt

+ve for tension

-ve for compression

Design of section subjected to eccentric tension

Reinforcement for direct tension can be added to

reinforcement required to resist bending using strength
design method.
M u' M u Pu e
Mu

Mu
Pu

Pu

Example 1

H H
0.5 & 2
L
B
L / B 6 / 5 1.2 2

6m
5m

The tank is moderate tank and we will apply the deep

tank approach
The tank walls are designed as continuous frame
subjected to pressure varying from zero at the top to max.
at H/4. The lower H/4 is designed as cantilever

Example 1
LongW all
p 2
p 2
2
M C L LB B 6 6 5 52 2.583 p
12
12
p 3 / 4H
M c 2.583 3 / 4 3.4 6.59 t .m / m
pL2
p 62
Mc
2.583 p 1.917 p 4.89t .m / m
M 1m
8
8
Direct tension in the Wall
M1m
3
B
T H
4
2
3
5
T 1 3.4 6.375 t / m
4
2

Mc
M2m

6m
5m

Example 1
ShortWall
M c 6.59 t .m / m
pL2
p 52
Mc
2.583 p 0.542 p 1.38t .m / m
M 2m
8
8
Direct tension in the Wall
3
L
T H
4
2
3
6
T 1 3.4 7.65 t / m
4
2

M1m
Mc
M2m

6m
5m

Example 1
Check the Wall thickness against cracking
Let wall t=40cm
f tb

T 6M
2
bt bt

f tb 2 300 34.6kg / cm 2
6.375 1000 6 6.59 10
2

kg
cm
f tb
26.3
/
2
40 100
100 40
5

In long wall: f tb
In short wall: f tb

6 6.59 105

7.65 1000
2

26.6
kg
/
cm
f tb

2
40 100
100 40

Example 1
Long Wall Reinforcement
d 40 5 0.7 34.3cm
h
e 5 .7 14.3cm
2
Direct tension reinf.

d=34.3cm

40cm
e=14.3

T
6.375 1000 1.7 1.65
As

4.73cm 2 / m
0.9 4200
f y
a) Horizontal Reinf. -ve. moment reinf.
14.3
M 6.59 1.7 1.3 6.37
1.7 1.3 12.55 t .m / m
100
2.61 105 12.55
0.85 300
1 1
0.00288

4200
100
34.3
300

A st 0.00288 100 34.3 9.88 cm 2 / m

'
u

Example 1
+ve. moment reinf.
14.3
M 4.89 1.7 1.3 6.37
1.7 1.3 8.79 t .m / m
100
2.61 105 8.79
0.85 300
1 1
0.002

2
4200
100 34.3 300

A st 0.002 100 34.3 6.86 cm 2 / m

'
u

Inside reinf. 9.88 4.73 14.61 cm 2 / m 16 @12.5cm

Outide reinf. 6.86 4.73 11.59 cm 2 / m 14 @12.5cm

Example 1
b) Vertical reinf.
0.85
M 1.7 1.3 0.5 3.4 0.85
0.9 t .m / m
3
2.61105 0.9
0.85 300
1 1
0.00022 min

2
4200
100 34.3 300

A st ,min 0.0006 100 40 2.4 cm 2 / m

'
u

use 5 8mm/m for inside and outside vertical reinf.

2.55
(3/4H)
0.85
3.4

Example 1
Short Wall Reinforcement
Direct tension reinf.
T
7.65 1000 1.7 1.65
As

5.67 cm 2 / m
f y
0.9 4200

d=34.3cm

40cm

a) Horizontal Reinf.

e=14.3

+ve. moment reinf.

M u' 1.38 1.7 1.3 7.65

14.3
1.7 1.3 0.63t .m / m
100

0.00014 min
A st ,min 0.0006 100 40 2.4 cm 2 / m
Outside horizontal reinf.= 2.4+5.67=8.07cm 2 / m use 12@12.5cm
b) Vertical Reinf.
use 5 8mm/m for inside and outside vertical reinf.

Example 2

L / B 11.25 / 5 2.25 2

6m
5m

The long walls are designed as a cantilever and the short wall
as a slab fixed supported on the long walls. The bottom H/4
portion of the short wall is designed as a cantilever.

Example 2
Long Wall Reinforcement
M base

H
6

1 3.42
6

6.55t .m / m

3 B
Direct tension T= H
4 2
Direct tension reinf.

3 / 4 3.4 5 / 2 6.375 ton

6.375 1000 1.7 1.65

T

4.73cm 2 / m
As
f y
0.9 4200
use 5 8mm/m for inside and outside horizontal reinf.
a) Vertical Reinf.
M u' 6.55 1.7 1.3 14.48t .m / m

0.00334

A st 0.00334 100 34.3 11.45 cm 2 / m

use 14@12.5cm

Example 2
Short Wall Reinforcement
Horizontal direction.
M support

3
H
4

M center

3
H
4

12

3
/
4
3.4
5
/12 5.31t .m / m

2
B
2

3
/
4
3.4
5
/ 24 2.65t .m / m

24

H3
3.42 / 96 0.41t .m / m
M base
95
Direct tension T= H 1 3.4 ton
Direct tension reinf.
T
3.4 1000 1.7 1.65
As

2.52 cm 2 / m
f y
0.9 4200

Example 2
Short Wall Reinforcement
a) Horizontal Reinf.
14.3
M 5.31 1.7 1.3 3.4 1.7 1.3
10.66t .m / m
100
14.3
'
M ve 2.65 1.7 1.3 3.4 1.7 1.3
4.78t .m / m
100
b) Vertical Reinf.
'
ve

'
M vertical
0.41 1.7 1.3 0.91t .m / m

Tanks Directly Built on the Ground

In tanks directly built on the ground, three cases may exist:

Tanks on weak soils or fill

Tanks on rigid foundation
Tank on compressible soils

Tanks on Weak Soils or Fill

The stress on the soil due to the weight of the tank and water is
generally low (6t/m2 for depth of water of 5 m), but in spite of
that fact, it is not recommended to construct a tank directly on
unconsolidated fill as this may expose the tank to differential
settlement due to nonhomogeneous nature of the fill.
Strip footing, Pile footing, or raft are possible solution depend
on the soil characteristics at variable depth.

Tanks Directly Built on the Ground

Tanks on Rigid Foundations

If we assume that a tank is supported on a rigid foundation then

the vertical reaction of the wall will be resisted by the area
beneath it, while bending moment M will deflect the floor in a
length l beyond which no deformation or bending moments are
created.
Deformation due to M will be balanced by the weight of liquid
and the floor w
2
At distance l

wl
Ml

0
24EI 6EI

l 2 M /w

Tanks Directly Built on the Ground

Tanks on Rigid Foundations

The part length l of the floor is designed for bending moment M

plus axial tensile force equals to the reaction at the base.
The middle part of the floor slab is designed for axial tension
force with minimum thickness provide water tightness (1520cm) and minimum reinforcement min=0.0018 .

Tanks Directly Built on the Ground

Tanks Directly Built on the Ground

l
f2

f1