Rotation of a Buried Propane Tank
Rotation of a Buried Propane Tank
(OP)
A buried propane tank rotated a few degrees about its long axis. This tank was strapped and it appears that the rotation was caused by uneven tension in the straps-- much like a belt around a sheave and the uneven tension causing rotation of the sheave.
Has anyone come across an article or reference material analyzing the forces of earth pressure on such tank. I am basically looking at the frictional analysis between tank and earth that would resist rotation.
I am pretty much set on the strap analysis that includes preloading and its friction on the tank however, I am somewhat uncertain about my analysis of the earth pressure on the tank which includes semispherical heads.
Has anyone come across an article or reference material analyzing the forces of earth pressure on such tank. I am basically looking at the frictional analysis between tank and earth that would resist rotation.
I am pretty much set on the strap analysis that includes preloading and its friction on the tank however, I am somewhat uncertain about my analysis of the earth pressure on the tank which includes semispherical heads.





RE: Rotation of a Buried Propane Tank
Nor this model withoug further complications at the nodes nor the one without the ground can fully represent well the situation respect what friction must say about; in any case must be small effect when compared with the overall gravity forces acting and compressibility of the modeled soil. In your case because you will be starting from dubious pressures and in the contact surface case because I think friction will be difficult to represent.
RE: Rotation of a Buried Propane Tank
Dik
RE: Rotation of a Buried Propane Tank
In addtion to the straps, you should also install concrete around the base legs of the tank.
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RE: Rotation of a Buried Propane Tank
One would think that the resistance to rotation exerted by the soil would be so large that rotation of the propane tank would be impossible. Since the propane tank is also symmetrical, why would the propane tank rotate on its own? You can calculate that resistance to movement using the procedures shown in the manhole floatation analysis.
Is it possible that the propane tank was rotated when the tank initially installed?
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RE: Rotation of a Buried Propane Tank
What probably happened, after the tank was buried and rain fell during the weekend, the knot tightened creating uneven tension and rotated the tank a few degrees.
What I am looking for is how to analyze the soil pressure components on the tank spherical heads and cylindrical shell to calculate the soil friction against rotation.
RE: Rotation of a Buried Propane Tank
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Having said that, if the tank was sitting in a water bath, the resistance to rotating from the soil was probably nil.