STORAGE TANK BOTTOM JOINTS DETAILS

THE FOLLOWING ILLUSTRATION IS BASED ON API 650 12th EDITION

MARCH 2013,ADDENDUM 3 AUG 2018
TANK BOTTOM WELDING COMPRISES OF SHORT SEAM, LONG SEAM,
ANNULAR TO BOTTOM AND SHELL TO BOTTOM WELDING.
 5t LAP

A B

BOTTOM LAP TWO PLATE JOINT (TOP VIEW)

B PLATE THICKNESS (t)

5t

BOTTOM LAP TWO PLATE JOINT (SIDE VIEW)

FILLET WELD JOINT

BB PLATE THICKNESS (t)

5t

BOTTOM LAP TWO PLATE FILLET JOINT (SIDE VIEW)

➢ SINGLE-WELDED LAP JOINTS ARE PERMISSISSIBLE ONLY ON BOTTOM PLATES
AND ROOF PLATES

➢ SINGLE-WELDED JOINTS SHALL BE LAPPED AT LEAST FIVE TIMES

THE NOMINAL THICKNESS OF THE THINNER PLATE JOINED,
OR 25 mm (1 in.), WHICHEVER IS SMALLER.

➢ MANUAL WELDING PROCESS, FILLET WELD LEGS OR GROOVE WELD DEPTHS

GREATER THAN 6 mm (1/4 in.) SHALL BE MULTIPASS.

➢ SEMI-AUTOMATIC, MACHINE, AND AUTOMATIC WELDING PROCESSES,

FILLET WELD LEGS OR GROOVE WELD DEPTHS GREATER THAN 10 mm (3/8 in.)
SHALL BE MULTIPASS.
 5t

SHORT SEAM WELDING

A B
5t
C
LONG EAM WELDING
TEE JUNCTION

Min 12 in
THREE PLATE WELDING
 SHORT SEAM WELDING JOGGLING

A B

LONG SEAM WELDING

BOTTOM TEE JOINT

 BACKING STRIP – 6 MM

A B
Min 24in

ANNULAR PLATE JOINT – BUTT JOINT WITH BACKING STRIP

ANNULAR PLATE ANNULAR PLATE
A
B

BACKING STRIP STITCH WELD

ANNULAR PLATE BUTT JOINT WITH BACKING STRIP (SIDE VIEW)

 1ST SHELL PLATE

TANK INSIDE

ANNULAR PLATE

FILLET WELD JOINT

SHELL TO BOTTOM FILLET JOINT

 1ST SHELL PLATE

TANK INSIDE

BOTTOM SKETCH PLATE

JOGGLING
➢ THE BOTTOM OR ANNULAR PLATES SHALL BE SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE
A MINIMUM 13 mm (1/2 in.) FROM THE TOE OF THE FILLET WELD TO
THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE BOTTOM OR ANNULAR PLATES.
INCASE LOW-TYPE REINFORCING PADS ARE USED,
THIS PAD THICKNESS IS ALSO TO BE ADDED.

➢ GENERALLY ANNULAR OUTSIDE EXTENSION FROM

THE SHELL SHALL BE MORE THAN 50 MM TO 100 MM.
 Annular Weld Joint

Bottom Plate

Bottom Plate
Two Plate Joint

5t

Bottom Plate Three Plate Joint

Annular Plate
➢THREE-PLATE LAPS IN TANK BOTTOMS SHALL BE AT LEASET 300 mm (12 in.)
FROM EACH OTHER, FROM THE TANK SHELL, AND FROM JOINTS BETWEEN
ANNULAR PLATES AND THE BOTTOM.

➢A THREE-PLATE LAP IS CREATED WHERE THREE PLATES COME TOGETHER

AND ALL PLATES ARE JOINED TO ONE ANOTHER BY LAP WELDS. A LOCATION
WHERE A PAIR OF BOTTOM PLATES ARE LAP-WELDED TO EACH OTHER AND
ARE LAPPED ONTO AN ANNULAR PLATE CONSTITUTES A THREE-PLATE LAP.

➢ LAPPING A SINGLE BOTTOM PLATE ONTO A BUTT WELDED ANNULAR PLATE

SPLICE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A THREE-PLATE LAP WELD SINCE THE TWO
ANNULAR PLATES ARE NOT JOINED TOGETHER BY A LAP WELD.
➢ WHEN ANNULAR PLATES ARE USED OR ARE REQUIRED,
THEY SHALL BE BUTT-WELDED AND SHALL HAVE A RADIAL WIDTH THAT
PROVIDES AT LEAST 600 mm (24 in.) BETWEEN THE INSIDE OF THE SHELL
AND ANY LAP-WELDED JOINT IN THE REMAINDER OF THE BOTTOM.

➢ BOTTOM PLATES NEED TO BE WELDED ON THE TOP SIDE ONLY,

WITH A CONTINUOUS FULL-FILLET WELD ON ALL SEAMS.