Seismic Response of Tanks and Vibration Control of their Pipelines

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to detail some methodologies applied for analysis of the seismic behaviour of existing bottom supported storage tanks and pipelines, under predominantly horizontal seismic actions. Developments on the established finite element method (FEM), permitted to analyse tanks and their liquid contents by two possible approaches: Ritz method coupled with FEM applied to an analytical solution of the tank-liquid system; FEM of the full system by modelling the liquid as a degenerated solid. Both formulations permit to determine seismic response envelopes. Further, some considerations on active control of cylinders by piezoceramic stacks of actuators are outlined, for potential uses in pipelines and tube-like structures.