In this study, the finite-element method is used to investigate the seismic behavior of rectangular liquid tanks in two-dimensional space. This method is capable of considering both impulsive and convective responses of liquid-tank system. Two different finite-element models corresponding with shallow and tall tank configurations are studied under the effects of both horizontal and vertical ground motions using the scaled earthquake components of the 1940 El-Centro earthquake record. The containers are assumed fixed to the rigid ground. Fluid-structure interaction effects on the dynamic response of fluid containers are taken into account incorporating wall flexibility. The results show that the wall flexibility and fluid damping properties have a major effect on seismic behavior of liquid tanks and should be considered in design criteria of tanks. The effect of vertical acceleration on the dynamic response of the liquid tanks is found to be less significant when horizontal and vertical ground motions are ...

Dam-reservoir interaction is one of the classic coupled problems in which two various environments with different physical characteristics are in contact with each other on interface boundary. Consideration of such interaction is important in design of new dams as well as on safety evaluation of the existing ones. In the present study, the effect of hydrodynamic pressures at various reservoir operational levels on seismic behavior of an arch dam is investigated. Dez ultra-high arch dam in Iran was selected as case study and all contraction and peripheral joints were simulated using node-to-node contact elements which have the ability of opening/closing and tangential movement. In addition, stage construction effects including joint grouting based on available construction reports were considered. The reservoir was assumed to be compressible and the foundation rock was modeled to account for its flexibility. The TABAS earthquake record was used to excite the finite element model of dam-reservoir-foundation system. It was found that dam-reservoir interaction has significant structural effects on the system and generally, operating the considered arch dam at different water levels can highly affects the distribution of the crack prone area under the maximum credible earthquake.

A probabilistic method based on FEMA P695 is employed for validating the response modification factor of reinforced concrete pedestals in elevated water tanks. In the current codes and standards, the response modification factor of elevated water tanks is mainly based on engineering judgement. Ten models of elevated water tanks with different tank sizes and pedestal heights are selected for the investigation. Initially, the prototypes are designed based on the current codes and standards. Next, the finite element models of the prototypes are developed. By performing incremental dynamic analysis, the probability of collapse for each prototype is calculated under different seismic loading conditions and system uncertainties. The results of the study validate and confirm the current response modification factor values and show that the tank size has a significant effect on the nonlinear seismic response behaviour of elevated water tanks. In addition, it is revealed that heavy tank sizes that are designed in accordance with codes and guidelines are more vulnerable under seismic loading compared with light and medium tank sizes.

Liquid-containing structures are used for various municipal and industrial applications. The functionality of these structures in seismic regions is crucial. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the behavior of liquid under seismic excitations using numerical modelling. For this purpose, experimental and numerical studies are conducted. In the experimental tests, a ground-supported rectangular tank is excited on a shaking table. The tests are videotaped from two directions and subsequently analyzed frame-by-frame. Four different orientations are tested to investigate the effect of bilateral excitation. In the numerical simulations, the same tank is modeled in OpenFOAM—a computational fluid dynamics program—and the same excitations are applied. The results from the numerical and the experimental studies are compared, and reliability of the numerical model is discussed. Furthermore, using the numerical model, the pressure on the roof of the tank is obtained at various locations and examined for different excitations.