Storage Tank Construction Methods

by Maria Kielmas; Updated September 26, 2017

Storage tanks are containers for liquids and compressed gases. They usually have a flat bottom
and a spherical or cylindrical shape. Some have fixed roofs others have roofs floating on top of
the liquid contained in the tank. They are used to store oil and fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals,
food, beverages and water. The walls of the tank may be single or double depending on its use.
Compressed gases and liquefied natural gas (LNG) require double-walled tanks to maintain the
internal pressure and to provide an extra safety factor.

Bottom Up
The simplest and cheapest method of storage tank construction is to build the walls from the
bottom and work upwards. This method needs scaffolding to enable work at higher elevations.

Hydraulic Jacking
A more efficient tank construction method involves the use of a hydraulic jacking system. The
jacks lift the tank walls as they are assembled on the ground. This is a safer method that does not
require work at height and reduces accident risk.

First Stage
Tank construction begins by assembling the base of the container at the construction site.
Prefabricated steel plates are welded to each other to form the base. This stage is identical for
both bottom-up and jacking operations.

Roof
If the tank has a permanent roof, this is prefabricated elsewhere and transported to the
construction site. The hydraulic jacks are assembled around the perimeter of the roof. The
jacking system lifts the roof.

Second Stage
In the bottom-up system, the tank course, or strake, is assembled from steel plates up to 10 feet
wide by welding the vertical sides to each other and by horizontal welding to the base. In the
jacking method for a floating roof tank, a system of hydraulic lifting jacks is set up around the
whole perimeter of the tank base. The plates are welded together vertically.

Third Stage
In the bottom-up system, the next level of steel plates is welded horizontally on to the previous
course all the way to the top of the tank. In a jack up system, the hydraulic jacks lift the first
course of plates. The second course is welded horizontally to the base of the first course. If the
tank has a fixed roof, the hydraulic jacks lift the roof and the plates are welded to the roofs
perimeter.

Fourth Stage
This stage applies only to the jack up method. Further steel plate courses are assembled by
welding the plates vertically to each other and horizontally to the base of the previous course.
The hydraulic jacks lift the assembled course to enable welding below.