TM 5-809-10/NAVFAC P-355/AFM 88-3, Chap 13

CHAPTER 13
NONBUILDING STRUCTURES

13-1. Introduction. This chapter prescribes the of the sloshing liquid on the interior of the tank will
seismic design criteria for ground located struc- be considered.
tures, other than buildings. The design will be based c. Elevated tanks, pedestal-type. Pedestal-type
on SEAOC 1I and SEAOC Table 1-I Refer to elevated water tanks will not be permitted is Seis-
chapter 12 for seismic design criteria for equipment. mic Zones 3 and 4. In Seismic Zones 1 and 2, Rw
In some cases, equipment on the ground qualifies will be equal to 3.
under this chapter.
13-4. Vertical tanks (on ground). The basic
13-2. General. Structures other than buildings formula V = (ZIC/Rw)W will be used for tanks in
are designed to resist seismic lateral forces deter- which the liquid is rigidly contained (i.e., sloshing is
mined in accordance with V = (ZIC/Rw)W (SEAOC prevented), for tanks holding highly viscous
eq 1-1), where RW ranges from 3 to 5 as shown in materials, and for pressure tanks. The value of Rw is
SEAOC Table 1I. Examples for obtaining the forces equal to 4.0 (SEAOC Table 1-H), W is the weight
are in appendix F. SEAOC also includes a special plus contents, and C is equal to 2.75 unless it can be
equation for rigid structures (V = 0.5 ZIW when T substantiated that the period T is greater than 0.3
is less than 0.06) and a minimum value of 0.5 for second. For tanks where the liquid is not rigidly
C/Rw. The period will be determined by SEAOC contained, the hydrodynamic effects of the sloshing
Method B. liquid may be considered in order to reduce the
13-3. Elevated tanks and other inverted effective mass and determine the effective centroid
pendulum structures. Structures that represent of the liquid.
inverted pendulums, such as an elevated tank sup- a. Hydrodynamic effects. During an earthquake
ported by a tower structure that is light in weight there is a complex redistribution of pressures in a
relative to the tank and contents, will use the basic tank. The design procedure for considering these
formula V = (ZIC/Rw)W with the value of Rw equal hydrodynamic effects is based on a simplified
to 3. The value for W will include the effective procedure described in technical publications and
weight of the contents. The accidental torsion will modified herein. The effective force distribution is
be computed as for buildings. Stresses will be illustrated in figure 13-1. The liquid is divided into
computed for the earthquake forces in any a constrained portion and an in-motion portion. (If
horizontal direction. h is less than 1.5R, there is no constrained liquid.)
a. Elevated tanks on cross-braced columns. Part of the in-motion liquid, combined with the
Foundation piers will be interconnected by steel or constrained liquid, forms the effective mass of the
reinforced concrete struts. When supported by piles impulsive force PI (P1 + P2 = PI). The remaining
or caissons, diagonal struts will also be required. portion of in-motion liquid forms the mass for the
For most four-legged tanks, uplift and column convective force Pc. PI and Pc are the resultant
design is critical when the horizontal force is applied forces of the horizontal pressures on the sides of the
at 45 degrees to the major axes. Figure F-1 in tank. PI represents the force of the effective mass of
appendix F illustrates the method of obtaining the liquid that moves rigidly with the tank, and Pc
seismic forces on a four-legged water tank, represents the force of the effective mass of the
including a method for computing the period of sloshing liquid. In addition to P1 and Pc, there is a
vibration required to determine the value of C. vertical couple, Mb, acting on the bottom of the
b. Hydrodynamic effects. In general, W will in- tank due to the unbalanced vertical pressures (Pb).
clude the total weight of the contents of an elevated Bending and overturning moments are determined
tank. However, properly substantiated procedures by multiplying PI and Pc by the effective heights hI
that account for the reduction of the effective and hc, respectively. In order to include the effects
weight of the liquid due to sloshing may be used. of Mb below the tank base, modified effective
Such procedures usually result in a mathematical heights, h'I and h'c are given.
model that represents a two-degree-of-freedom (1) Rigid body forces. The rigid body forces
system consisting of an effective rigid mass of liquid (fig 13-2) include the seismic forces due to the
and an effective sloshing mass of liquid. The impulsive liquid, the walls of the tank, and the roof.
procedure is similar to that used for vertical tanks The term rigid body is used to denote the impulsive
on the ground. In addition to designing the tower to liquid moving rigidly with the tank. Actually, the
resist the equivalent static seismic forces, the effects tank does have some flexibility depending on the

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TM 5-809-10/NAVFAC P-355/AFM 88-3, Chap 13

Figure 13-1. Effective Liquid force distribution.

size and shape. For calculating C it will be assumed figure 13-3(b) or table 13-2, where h is the height of
that the period of the tank and contents is less than the water level (at rest). To calculate stresses in the
0.3 second unless substantiated to be longer. tank wall, where Mb is not effective, use hI. Below
(a) The total horizontal rigid body force, the tank base, where Mb is effective, use h'I.
VRB, will be determined by the equation (2) Sloshing liquid forces (fig 13-2).
VRB = (ZIC/Rw) (Wr + Ww + WI) (eq 13-1) (a) The sloshing liquid forces VSL are equal
where Z and I are prescribed in chapter 3, Rw equals to the convective force, Pc, and will be determined
4.0, and C equals 2.75 unless a lower value is by the equation
substantiated. Wr is the weight of the roof (if any), VSL = (ZIC/Rw)WC (eq 13-3)
Ww is the weight of the tank walls, and WI is the where Z, I, and Rw are the same as used in equation
weight of the impulsive liquid. WI is determined 13-1. C is dependent on the sloshing period T and
from the effective weight ratio, WI/W, in figure 13- the site coefficient S (SEAOC Table 1B). WC, the
3 or table 13-1, where W is the total weight of the weight of the convective liquid, is determined from
liquid. the effective weight ratio, WC/W, in figure 13-3 or
(b) The moments at the base of the tank are table 13-1, where W is the total weight of the liquid.
determined by the equation (b) The sloshing period is determined by the
MRB = (ZIC/Rw) (Wrhr + Ww2hw + WIhI) (eq 13-2) equation
where hr is the height of the roof, 2hw is the height to
the center of mass of the tank walls, and hI is the T ' kT h (eq 3-14)
effective height of the impulsive liquid. hI is where kT is determined from figure 13-4 or table
determined from the effective height ratio hI/h in 13-3.

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 TM 5-809-10/NAVFAC P-355/AFM 88-3, Chap 13

Figure 13-2. Rigid body and sloshing liquid forces.

(c) The moments at the base of the tank are and for rectangular tanks from the equation
determined by the equation 0.833(ZIC/Rw)R
MSL = (ZIC/Rw)Wchc (eq 13-5) dmax ' (eq 13-7)
1 & kd(ZIC/rw)
where hc is the effective height of the convective
liquid; hc is determined from the effective height where kd is obtained from figure 13-5 or table 13-4.
ratio hc/h (fig 13-3(b) or table 13-2), where h is the R is the radius of a cylindrical tank or one-half the
height of the water level (at rest). To calculate plan dimension of a rectangular tank.
stresses in the tank wall, where Mb is not effective, (3) Combining the rigid body forces and the
use hc. Below the tank base, where Mb is effective, sloshing liquid forces. The rigid body forces and the
use h'c. sloshing forces will be combined by the square root
(d) The maximum design height of the of the sum of the squares, as shown in the equations
sloshing wave is determined for cylindrical tanks 2 2
from the equation Vtotal ' VRB % VSL (eq 13-8)
0.75(ZIC/Rw)R
dmax ' (eq 13-6) and
1 & kd(ZIC/rw)
2 2
Mtotal ' MRB % MSL (eq 13-9)

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TM 5-809-10/NAVFAC P-355/AFM 88-3, Chap 13

Figure 13-3. Effective weight and height ratios.

Table 13-1. Effective weight ratio.

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 TM 5-809-10/NAVFAC P-355/AFM 88-3, Chap 13

Table 13-2. Effective height ratio.

Figure 13-4. Period constant, kT

This is consistent with modal analysis procedures there are interior elements, such as baffles or roof
where spectral responses of the predominant modes supports, the effects of sloshing liquid on these
are combined in such a manner. elements will be considered.
(4) Sloshing wave height The value of dmax b. Design of tank. The critical items of concern
must be less than the freeboard height (hr minus h) in the seismic design of the tank are the horizontal
for the simplified hydrodynamic procedure to be shear at the base, the overturning and uplift forces
valid. If dmax is greater than (hr minus h), liquid will at foundations, the compression buckling of the
overflow the top of the tank when there is no roof tank shell, and, when tie-downs are used, the
or will be confined by the roof if a roof exists. When resulting additional stresses at the attachment of

13-5
TM 5-809-10/NAVFAC P-355/AFM 88-3, Chap 13

Table 13-3. Period constant, kT

Figure 13-5. Coefficient kd.

Table 13-4. Coefficient kd.

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 TM 5-809-10/NAVFAC P-355/AFM 88-3, Chap 13

the anchors, which could tear the shell. The stresses the increase in stresses or decrease in load factor is
resulting from the seismic forces will be combined greater than the increase due to seismic load. The
with other applicable stresses. Procedures for the overturning effect on the footing may be critical in
design of vertical tanks are beyond the scope of this some cases. The footing will be sized so that there
manual. Industry standards (e.g., AWWA and API) is no theoretical net tension between the footing and
have developed seismic criteria as supplements to the supporting ground. In Seismic Zones 1, 2, and
general design criteria. Procedures used for the 3, the 20 percent factor will be proportioned in the
design of tanks will be substantiated by means of ratio of the Z factor to 0.4.
rational analysis, tests, or past experience.
13-7. Buried structures. Buried tanks and
13-5. Horizontal tanks (on ground). The pipes of moderate size, or smaller, generally do not
basic formula V = (ZIC/Rw)W will be used, with require special seismic design considerations if
Rw = [Link] critical items of concern in the seismic applicable nonseismic design criteria are satisfied.
design are the stresses in the saddles and in the base However, tanks, tunnels, pipes, etc. that have large
footing. The soil pressure in the transverse direction cross sections or are classified for essential or
due to overturning may be critical. The resultant of important usage will require special considerations
forces must always fall within the middle third of for seismic design that are not included in the scope
the footing pad. of this manual. In the design of long structures,
consideration will be given to the wave shape and
13-6. Retaining walls. The design of retaining ground deformation resulting from the seismic
walls for seismic forces in Seismic Zone 4 will use ground motion. Where changes in the support
an additive seismic factor of 20 percent of the total system, configuration, or soil condition occur,
earth pressure forces plus 20 percent of the weight flexible couplings will be provided in order to
of the wall at a point 2/3 the fill height above the accommodate the anticipated deformation, as
base of the retaining wall. The stresses in the discussed in chapter 14.
concrete and reinforcing steel will not be critical, as

13-7