×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Concrete Tank Leak Test
2

Concrete Tank Leak Test

Concrete Tank Leak Test

(OP)
I have a concrete tank that needs a leak test done. The leak test will be done after its already been backfilled and the tank is 21m by 21m and holds about 3000m3 of water. Wall thickness ranges from 600mm at the bottom to 450mm at the top (7.1m tall).  

My question is once the tank is filled up, the concrete will absorb some of the water.  How long should I wait before I start my actual measurement of change in water height. How long should I give the concrete to absorb the bulk of what it will absorb?   

RE: Concrete Tank Leak Test

We say 24 hours.
If you have time, you might want to wait a week as sometimes some small leaks seal themselves as the concrete re-hydrates from the liquid in the tank.

RE: Concrete Tank Leak Test

I do tank designs and water tight testing for our structures on all of our water and waste water projects. I highly suggest using as a guide,"Tightness Testing of Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures" ACI 350.1-01. By the way, this guide suggests that the unlined tank be filled for 3 days for stabilization prior to starting the test. Also the tank should not be backfilled durng the test, otherwise how are you and the contractor going to know where it may be leaking and need repairs?
I hope this helps.

RE: Concrete Tank Leak Test

Agree with steelbeam re: ACI 350.1, even if you're not in the US.  
Soil backfill prior to leak testing was a mistake.

RE: Concrete Tank Leak Test

jqeng,

cross posting is against the forum's rules.
I've left you a respond in connection to your question, in the same post that you have put at:
Civil/Environmental engineering other topics Forum.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources