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1 Lecture 8: Water tanks

This section covers the following topics:

 Types of water tanks

 General requirements
 Design basis (For working stress design)
 Permissible stresses in concrete and steel
 Requirement of reinforcement
 Rectangular water tanks
 Analysis methods

1.1 Types:
1. Underground tanks
2. Tanks resting on ground
3. Elevated water tanks

First two types of tanks are normally rectangular/circular in shape, while the third type are generally
circular/Intz type/ conical in shape.

Elevated tanks are supported on staging (consists of well braced columns) or an enclosed shaft.

Large capacity water tanks are generally circular in shape or of Intz type. Circular tanks are generally
preferred to other shapes since the wall of such tanks are subjected to hoop tension and the whole cross-
section is effective in resisting tensile forces leading to effective utilization of materials and reduction of
costs.

1.2 General requirements

It should be leak proof and the following conditions must be satisfied to meet this requirements.

1. The concrete should be impervious. It must have high tensile strength; mix ≮ M25; cement
quantity ≮ 3 kN/m3. To keep shrinkage low, cement quantity ≯ 5.3 kN/m3.
2. The structure is designed in such a manner that the concrete remains free of cracks which is
achieved by reducing the permissible stresses in concrete and steel.

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1.3 Design basis (For working stress design)

Design of water retaining structures are based on the consideration that the structure has adequate
resistance to cracking and has adequate strength at the same time. To achieve this, following assumptions
are made in the design.

 To guard against cracking, in calculations for tension (direct, bending or both) it is assumed that
concrete is capable of resisting limited tensile stresses. The full section of concrete including cover
and the reinforcement is taken into account in this assumption provided the tensile stress in
concrete is limited to Table 1, IS 3370 (part 2): 2009.
 To guard against structural failure in strength calculations, the tensile strength of concrete is
ignored.
 Reduced value of permissible stresses in steel are adopted in design.

1.3.1 Permissible stresses in concrete

1. Resistance to cracking:
The permissible stresses shall conform to the values specified in Table 1, IS 3370 (part 2): 2009.
2. Strength calculation:
In strength calculations, the permissible concrete stresses shall be in accordance with Table 2 and
Table 3, IS 3370: 2009

1.3.2 Permissible stresses in steel

1. Resistance to cracking:
Tensile stress in steel= modular ratio (m) × permissible tensile stress in concrete.
2. Strength calculation:
For strength calculations, the permissible stresses in steel shall conform to the values specified in
Table 4, IS 3370: 2009

1.3.3 Minimum reinforcement

 The minimum reinforcement in walls, floors and roofs in each directions at right angles, within
each surface zone shall not be less than 0.35% of the surface zone for high strength deformed
bars and not less than 0.64% for mild steel bars, Fig. 1, IS 3370: 2009.
 The minimum reinforcement can be further reduced to 0.24% for HYSD bars and 0.40% for FE 250
for tanks having any dimension not more than 15 m.
 In wall slabs less than 200 mm in thickness, the calculated amount of reinforcement may be placed
in one face.

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 For ground slabs less than 300 mm thick (Fig.2), the calculated reinforcement should be placed in
one face as near as possible to the upper surface consistent with the nominal cover.
 Bar spacing should generally not exceed 300 mm or the thickness of the section, whichever is less.

1.3.4 Requirement for size of bars, distance between bars, laps and bends
 Shall be in accordance with IS 456: 2000.

1.4 Rectangular water tanks

These tanks are suitable for small storage capacity. For small capacity, circular tanks are uneconomical
due to high cost of curved shuttering. On the other hand, circular tanks have least perimeter for a
given capacity and requires least amount of material and is therefore prove to be economical for large
capacities.

1.4.1 Components of rectangular tanks

 Side walls
 Base slab
 Roof slab

1.5 Analysis methods

 IS code method – moment coefficients are given in IS 3370 (part 4): 2009
 Approximate methods

1.5.1 Approximate methods

The walls of a rectangular tank are liable to bend horizontally as well as in vertical direction. The design
method to be adopted for designing wall panels depend upon the relative proportions of the length,
breadth and height of the tank.

Since the water pressure acts in the form of triangular load, the exact analysis becomes rather difficult
and therefore, walls are normally designed by approximate methods.

The design of walls by approximate methods can be broadly divided in two categories:

𝐿
a) Tank wall having ratio of 𝐵 < 2
𝐿
b) Tank wall having ratio of 𝐵 > 2

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Fig. Pressure acting on walls Pressure diagram

𝑳
1.5.1.1 Tank wall having ratio of 𝑩 < 𝟐
Tank walls (both long and short) are designed as horizontal slabs, continuous all round (between
corners) subjected to following loadings.

I. Triangular load (zero at top to a maximum at a height ℎ = 𝐻⁄4 or 1.0 m, above the base
whichever is more)
II. The bottom portion (ℎ = 𝐻⁄4 or 1.0 m, whichever is more) of the wall is treated as vertical
cantilever fixed at the base and subjected to triangular load given by the shaded area of the
pressure diagram.

Maximum pressure (𝑝) for design of the wall for horizontal B.M per unit height at level 𝑃

= 𝑤(𝐻 − ℎ) per m

Moments

𝑃𝐵2
B.M at end span = 12
(producing tension on water face)

𝑃𝐵2
B.M at Centre of span = 16
(producing tension on water face)

Due to monolithic construction, in addition to B.M, both the long wall and short wall are also subjected
to direct tension caused by water pressure on the wall.

Direct tension on long walls

Since the short walls span between the long walls, above𝑃, the water pressure on short wall gets
transferred to the long walls as tension(𝑇).

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Consider a 1m high strip of short wall at a level ℎ = 𝐻⁄4 or 1.0 m, whichever is more above base i.e. at 𝑃

Total tension due to water pressure

= 𝑤(𝐻 − ℎ) × 1 × 𝐵

Therefore, direct tension transferred to each long wall

1
𝑇𝐿 = . 𝑤(𝐻 − ℎ)𝐵
2

Direct tension on short walls

Direct tension on each short wall

1
𝑇𝐵 = . 𝑤(𝐻 − ℎ)𝐿
2

Cantilever moment in short walls

ℎ ℎ 𝑤𝐻.ℎ 2
Maximum B.M= 𝑤𝐻. 2 . 3 = 6

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𝑳
1.5.1.2 Tank wall having ratio of >𝟐
𝑩
Long walls is treated as vertical cantilever fixed at the base, while short walls are treated as horizontal
slabs (bending horizontally) spanning between long walls and fixed at ends. The bottom portion of short

walls for ℎ = 𝐻⁄4 or 1.0 m, whichever is more is treated as vertical cantilever fixed at the base.

1 𝐻 𝑤𝐻 3
Cantilever moment in long walls= 𝑤𝐻. 𝐻. =
2 3 6

For short walls, the maximum B.M at level P may be taken as:

𝑃𝐵2 𝑊(𝐻−ℎ)𝐵2
B.M at end span= 12
= 12

𝑃𝐵2 𝑊(𝐻−ℎ)𝐵2
B.M at centre of span = 16
= 16

Similarly,

Direct tension to each long wall

1
𝑇𝐿 = . 𝑤(𝐻 − ℎ)𝐵
2

The long wall act as vertical cantilever fixed to the base and as such they are not likely to transfer any
water pressure in the form of tension to the short walls. However, keeping in view the monolithic
behaviour of the junction between the short and long wall for working out direct tension in short walls, it
is assumed that water pressure on about 1.0 m of long wall adjacent to the corners cause tension in the
short wall.

Therefore, direct tension on short walls= 𝑇𝐵 = 𝑤(𝐻 − ℎ) × 1

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Since long and short wall are subjected to B.M plus direct tension, therefore, it is necessary to design the
wall section for combined effect of the two.

1.5.2 Analysis of tank wall subjected to Bending + Tension

Area of steel for net B.M

𝑀 − 𝑇. 𝑥
𝐴𝑠𝑡1 =
𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑟𝑚 × 𝑠𝑎𝑓𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙

𝑀 − 𝑇. 𝑥
=
𝑗𝑑. 𝜎𝑠𝑡

Area of steel for direct tension

𝑇
𝐴𝑠𝑡2 =
𝑆𝑎𝑓𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙

𝑇
=
𝜎𝑠𝑡

Total area of steel= 𝐴𝑠𝑡1 + 𝐴𝑠𝑡2

1.5.3 Design of base slab

1.5.3.1 For tanks resting on ground
When the tank rests on firm ground, the floor slab should be strong enough to transfer the load due to
weight of liquid stored and self-weight of the tank to the soil below without subsidence.

For ground slabs less than 300 mm thick, the calculated reinforcement should be placed in one face as
near as possible to the upper surface consistent with the nominal cover.

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1.5.3.2 For elevated tanks

If the floor of the tank is supported on walls all round, the floor slab will be designed as one way or two
way depending upon the ratio of length to width of the tank.

The base slab is designed for B.M due to water load and self-weight of the slab. The effect of transfer of
tension due to pressure on the vertical walls has to be considered in the design.

At ends, the B.M will be caused by water pressure on the long walls. It will be of hogging type and its
𝑤𝐻 3
magnitude will be equal to 6
for a unit width of slab. This B.M will be maximum when the tank is full
𝑤𝐻 2
upto height𝐻. This B.M will be accompanied by a pull of 2

CE-445N Design of Concrete Structures II Dr. Moonis Zaheer