The problem
Buried tanks have an upward pressure from the ground
and need to be designed not to float. Frost heave
is another factor that can cause tanks to rise up through
the surface of the ground. Lightweight or moulded
tanks can have so much buoyancy that they must be restrained
to a foundation. Many tanks are back-filled with concrete
and they have to be partly filled with water as the concrete
is poured, to prevent them floating. |
Our solution
This is not a difficult deign calculation, but we need
to know the typical ground conditions. These allow
Coupland Bell consultants to predict the ground pressure
and the friction force holding the tank down. Our
consultants use civil engineering data to predict the
pressure and friction factors. Having predicted
the flotation force, our consultants can say whether restraining
anchors are necessary. Finite
element analysis may be needed to provide an adequate
factor of safety in the design of the tank itself.
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