Deformation Analysis of Desalinated Water Storage Tank Using Finite Element Method

Abstract

Deformation in a structure is something that is very likely to occur when the object is subjected to a loading that leads to a pressure on the object. The approach taken to determine the deformation of the cylindrical tank was carried out using the finite element method using Ansys 2020 R2 software with axial loads due to the roof and circumferential loads on the cylinder from wind forces. The cylindrical tank that was the object observed in the practical work field was found to be deformed due to the very high loading from the roof and also the result of re-welding due to the repair of defective welds after being examined by ultrasonic testing. This was investigated using the finite element method to determine if the loading experienced by the cylinder was the main cause of the deformation and it was found that the maximum deformation was so small that it was difficult to say that the main cause of the deformation was the loading. It is known that re-welding a metal will change the mechanical properties of the material to become softer, which is the main reason why the deformation of the tank occurred in the practical field.