Seismic behaviour of cylindrical elevated tanks with a frame supporting system on various subsoil

The seismic responses of an elevated tank with a frame supporting system on various subsoils are investigated. The finite element method is used for the modelling of the elevated tank and subsoil system. Fixed-base and elastic media assumptions are made for subsoil. The tank fluid has been modelled as lumped masses such as impulsive and convective masses proposed by Housner. An added mass approach is used for fluid-structure interaction by representing both the impulsive mass and the convective mass. For estimating the seismic response of elevated tanks, response spectrum analysis with mode superposition is used. The results obtained from modelling the elevated tanks on a fixed base and on an elastic medium are compared. It has been observed that the seismic response of the elevated tank is altered significantly depending on the properties of the subsoil. The soil-structure interaction especially affects the impulsive modes and lateral displacement of elevated tanks rather than the torsional modes. It is proposed that the coupling effect for perpendicular directions in the axisymmetrical plan geometry should be considered in the seismic design of the elevated tanks.