Reinforced Concrete Tanks (RC 4)

Lecture 1

Introduction
PROF. DR. Abdulmalek AL-Jolahy
Introduction
Definition of Reinforced concrete tanks:
RC tanks are structures used for the storage of water/ liquid for different
purposes.
Why concrete?
1- Concrete is particularly suited for this application because it will not warp or
undergo change in dimensions.
2- When properly designed and placed, it is nearly impermeable and extremely
resistant to corrosion.
3- Has good resistance to natural and processing chemicals.
4- Economical but requires significant quality control.
Introduction
What are the objective of the design?
1- The structure must be designed such that it is watertight, with minimum
leakage or loss of contained volume.
2- The structure must be durable – it must last for several years without
undergoing deterioration.
Type of tanks
Type of tanks
3- According to the Roof
- Open Tank
- Covered Tank
 Elevated rectangular tank
Elevated circular tanks
Under ground circular tank Under ground rectangular tank
Basic requirements
1- water tightness: water tightness can be achieved by:
- using water tight concrete: (carful selection of aggregate - low W/C- sufficient
cement content- good mixing and placing- good compacting and curing).
For water tightness, the used concrete should be:
(Dense- free from cracks, voids, honeycombing).

2- Strength.
3- Durability.
Cracks in reinforced concrete:
1- Fine cracks in tension zone.
Design the section as plane concrete to avoid having these cracks.
2- Excessive cracks, (Over loading).
3- Expansion and contraction cracks.
Expansion and contraction cracks are due to shrinkage and temperature movement, to
control them:
- slow draying of concrete.
- usage of shrinkage and temperature steel.
- usage of movements joints (Sec. 4.12, Ch. 7 - ACI 350-20).
4- settlements cracks: to avoid them: (good site selection- good design and
construction of foundation).
Shrinkage of Concrete
Plastic shrinkage is caused by the loss of
water by evaporation from the surface of
newly laid concrete or by suction of dry
concrete underneath. At the surface,
plastic shrinkage occurs when the rate of
evaporation exceeds the rate of bleeding.
Drying shrinkage is the decrease in
volume or contraction of hardened
concrete due to loss of capillary moisture
that results in the development of
capillary tension developed inside the
pore structure of cement.
Expansion joints

gation
Contraction joints
Construction Joints
How to increase durability?
1- Concrete should be resistant to the actions of chemicals, alternate wetting
and drying, and freeze-thaw cycles
2- Air-entrainment in the concrete mix helps improve durability. Add air-
entrainment agents. Reinforcement must have adequate cover to prevent
corrosion
3- Add good quality fly-ash or pozzolans
4- Use moderately sulphate-resistant cement
Design methods:
1- Strength design method:
- Load factors. (ACI 318)
- Capacity reduction factors. (ACI 318)

2- Elastic design method / Working stress method

- Allowable stress in concrete and steel.
** Alternate design method (attached as appendix in ACI 318 (up to 2008
version) and ACI 350 – Appendix A – 2020 version)
Allowable Stresses
Text books and Codes of Practice
 Theory and Design of Reinforced Concrete Tanks, M. Hillal, 2005.
 Concrete Watertight Structures and Hazardous Liquid Containment, Robert
Hingest, 1994.
 Code Requirements for Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures - ACI
350-20.
 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete - ACI 318M-19.