Underground Concrete Tank Farm 1

[stventech]

I have received a proposal to design a Large Underground Concrete Storage Tank Farm (equivalent to 300 nos. of tank to fit in an Area=12100sq.m and Capacity of 300M Ltrs.). I am very well verse in Designing Storage Tank as per API 650 but never in my experience to design in such condition. Any one could provide me a reference on this regard.

 

[hokie66]

That is a big hole in the ground, about 25 metres deep. The first thing you need is good information on the subsurface conditions across the site. I assume you are talking about a reinforced concrete structure for storage of some type of petroleum products. Or it could be a lined pit with sloping sides. It depends totally on the soil or rock strata in which this is located.

 

[RWF7437]

"(equivalent to 300 nos. of tank to fit in an Area=12100sq.m and Capacity of 300M Ltrs.)."

what does 300 nos. mean ?
Is area = "12100sq m", Square Miles or Square Meters ?
Is 300M Ltrs 300,000,000 Liters or is it 300,000 Liters ?
What is being stored in how many tanks ?
Will the tanks be identical to each other or will each have to be designed individually ?
Will you be responsible for all of the design, including hydraulic & geotechnical work, or just the structural design ?
Does API 650 cover buried tanks ?
Can you use American Waterworks (AWWA Specifications ?

 

[RWF7437]

Please see FAQ 194-1462

 

[stventech]

300 (pcs.) tanks will going to construct on that area (121000 sq. meters)with capacity of 300,000 cu. meter for oil storage.
API 650 is for Steel welded above ground Storage tanks and we are talking her about concrete build tanks therefore API 650 difinitely not applicable in this job.

yes it is about 25meter deep however I have an option to overlap the tanks to maximize the space, the question here if it is advisable to construct a tank above (overlap)the other tank.

 

[hokie66]

The 25 metres deep is assuming the entire area is used, i.e. one big rectangular tank. If the concrete wall of that enclosure has to retain the earth and hydrostatic pressures, it will probably require tiebacks into the earth.

I don't understand what you mean by overlapping the tanks. Do you mean build some of it above ground?

 

[RWF7437]

Thanks for the clarifications. But again, is the area 12100 m^2 or 121000 m^2? If it is 12100 m^2 then indeed the minimum depth of the hole needed to bury these tanks is about 25 meters !

I am only familiar with water tanks but for those, the economical depth for circular buried or above ground, concrete or steel, tanks is between 5 meters and 10 meters.

Why must these tanks be buried?
Why must they be concrete ?
Why not post your question in the Petroleum engineering, other topics, forum?
Where is this project?
Will geologic conditions permit burial ?
Will you do all of the design or will others contribute some special knowledge, including local knowledge ?

 

[stventech]

My concern is how to design the tanks in identical dimensions. In order to achieve such condition, I need to design the tank with ID=7.165m & H=25m (300nos.), on the other hand an overlap tank design (150 buried + 150 partially buried) will have an ID=10.13m & H=12.4m.

Primarily this tank farm is to be construct on a remote island in pacific region (still unknown) & we still don’t have the soil profile.

 

[JoeTank]

The military has used below grade tanks for years. The tanks are often circular concrete, sometimes with a steel liner for leak tightness.

Joe Tank