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Reinforced Concrete Tank Design

This document discusses the design of reinforced concrete tanks. It begins by outlining the code requirements from ACI 350 for designing liquid-containing concrete structures. This includes factors like reduced stresses, increased reinforcement, and crack control. It then provides examples of analyzing tank structures and discusses important details like joint placement and shrinkage reinforcement. Construction considerations like concrete mix design and curing are also covered. The goal is to design durable concrete tanks that can withstand temperature changes and remain watertight for 50-60 years.

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Michael Le
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860 views5 pages

Reinforced Concrete Tank Design

This document discusses the design of reinforced concrete tanks. It begins by outlining the code requirements from ACI 350 for designing liquid-containing concrete structures. This includes factors like reduced stresses, increased reinforcement, and crack control. It then provides examples of analyzing tank structures and discusses important details like joint placement and shrinkage reinforcement. Construction considerations like concrete mix design and curing are also covered. The goal is to design durable concrete tanks that can withstand temperature changes and remain watertight for 50-60 years.

Uploaded by

Michael Le
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reinforced Concrete Tank Design

Mark W. Holmberg, P.E.

Reinforced concrete tanks have been used for water and wastewater storage and treatment for
decades. Structural engineers are asked to design a variety of square, round, and oval reinforced
concrete structures that may be above, below, or partially below ground. Design of reinforced
concrete tanks requires attention not only to strength requirements, but also to crack control and
durability. The challenge for the structural engineer is to design concrete liquid containing
structures that will resist the extremes of seasonal temperature changes and a variety of loading
conditions, and remain watertight.

Design and construction of the Bear Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) Expansion
located in Hampton, Georgia and the Commerce Georgia WWTP are used to illustrate code
requirements, tank analysis, design details, and construction of liquid containing reinforced
concrete tanks.

Code Requirements
ACI 350-06 Code Requirements for Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures extends the
basic ACI 318 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete with additional
serviceability requirements for crack width control due to flexure, shrinkage of concrete, and
temperature movement. The commentary of ACI 350 makes it clear that ACI 318 requirements
alone will not produce watertight structures. ACI 350 serviceability requirements include:

 Reduced working load stresses, and requirements for size and spacing of reinforcement
 Increased minimum reinforcement for temperature and shrinkage movement, which is
dependent on the grade of reinforcing steel and the length between shrinkage dissipating
joints
 Waterstop requirements at all joints
 Concrete mix design requirements
 Increased cover requirements compared to ACI 318
 Commentary suggestions for use of shrinkage compensating concrete per ACI 223

Properly designed, specified, and detailed structures applying the requirements of the ACI 350,
along with engineering judgment and quality construction, should have a useful life of 50 to 60
years.

Analysis
Analysis of reinforced concrete slabs and walls is a complex finite element exercise. ACI 350
suggests three design aids that can simplify the analysis of liquid containing tanks:

 Rectangular Concrete Tanks, Portland Cement Association, 1994


 Circular Concrete Tanks Without Prestressing, Portland Cement Association, 1993
 Concrete Manual, U.S. Department of Reclamation, 8th edition, 1981

The two Portland Cement Association (PCA) publications include coefficients for calculating
moments, shears, tension, and deflection for a variety of aspect ratios and end conditions of plate
and circular elements. Engineering judgment of the designer is required to select the proper
design tables, detail sections to resemble the boundary conditions selected and recognize that
ideal boundary conditions are rarely achieved in the field. In addition, the engineer must
recognize conditions, beyond the limitations of the PCA data, that require special analysis.

Liquid containing tanks often support heavy equipment requiring special design of equipment
support and surrounding walls. The structural engineer must obtain vertical and vibration loads
of equipment, and design for possible restraint of temperature movement of supporting concrete.

Figure 1 is an example of equipment that restrains or induces temperature movement in the


reinforced concrete structure.

Figure 1: Commerce WWTP Aeration Screen, Walkway and Hoist Bridge.

Details
Proper detailing of reinforcing and joints has as much to do with durability of a liquid containing
structure as properly applying the provisions of ACI 350 and correctly analyzing the structure.
End fixity of a section affects location and magnitude of maximum moments, and joint location
affects the amount of minimum shrinkage and temperature reinforcing required. The PCA design
tables include both fixed and hinged base conditions. The commentary states that either extreme
is rarely achieved in the field. The detail in Figure 2 is typical for a hinged base condition and
was used in several of the Bear Creek WWTP structures. A compression type waterstop was
installed near the inside face of the wall. A PVC bulb type waterstop is not practical at this
location due to the location of slab reinforcing.

Figure 2: Hinged Base Detail.

Prior to completing the Bear Creek WWTP structures wall details, it was determined that the
maximum allowable length between construction joints would be 50 feet, and that Grade 60
reinforcing steel would be specified. Figure 3, from the PCA Circular Concrete Tanks Without
Prestressing noted above, is a useful aid for proportioning shrinkage and temperature reinforcing
based on joint spacing. ACI 350 notes that concrete sections over 24 inches thick must have
shrinkage reinforcing at each face based on a 12-inch thick section.
Figure 3: Minimum Temperature and Shrinkage Reinforcement.

Concrete
Specifying and supplying a concrete mix that minimizes shrinkage is critical to the durability of
liquid containing structures. Concrete shrinkage is dependent on several factors, including
cement content and aggregate. To insure that design assumptions are valid, the engineer should
specify shrinkage requirements (0.04% to 0.03%), and that the concrete supplier provide
shrinkage test results prior to approving the mix design. Where large tank walls or slabs are
required without expansion joints, shrinkage compensating concrete may be specified; however,
the structural engineer must account for concrete expansion movement.

ACI requirements for hot and cold weather concrete placement must be specified because
construction of a large project can take place over a year or more. One concrete mix design will
not be adequate for all pour conditions.

Construction
Formwork, concrete placement and curing are obviously critical to the quality and durability of
the structure. Almost all form systems require through-wall form ties that create potential for
leaks, and weak planes where cracks may occur. Proper concrete mix design and appropriate add
mixtures will assure that concrete is easily consolidated. Proper curing of concrete will reduce
the potential for shrinkage cracking.
Figure 4 shows small temperature/shrinkage cracks in the Bear Creek WWTP Aeration Basin
Tank wall located at form tie holes. The contractor injected the cracks and applied a specified
waterproofing membrane to the inside of the tank walls.

Figure 4: Tank Wall Cracks at Tie Hole.

Conclusion
Proper application of ACI 350 design requirements, appropriate structural details, properly
specified and supplied concrete, and quality construction will assure long life for reinforced
concrete tanks that will be subjected to harsh environmental and use conditions. The structural
engineer and the contractor must work together to produce reinforced concrete liquid containing
tanks that are as watertight as possible.▪

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