Interaction of open-top, short, cylindrical tank with wind-driven rain

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Driving rain or wind-driven rain (WDR) is defined as rain, falling in an inclined manner due to the driving force of the wind, inflicting damage to the envelope of building, due to rain droplet impingement, hygrothermal effect, and, rain water ingress. When rain is driven by wind, especially high wind (during storm, cyclone, etc.), the rain droplet impact can increase. There is no availability of literatures on the interaction of shell structures with driving rain, which incurs damage to the thin wall of the tank through droplet impact. This scope is the main motivation behind the present study, which is focused on fluid–structure interaction analysis of an open-top, ground-supported, cylindrical tank with a slenderness ratio of 1.0, affected by wind driven rain. The thickness of the tank wall is varied, and, open terrain condition is considered. The study exhibits that the force coefficient (Cf) of WDR is higher between 0° to 53° peripheral position and decreasing upto 140° circumferential location. Maximum 28% increase of force coefficient of WDR noticed for 45° position in comparison to the wind force coefficient. Also, the top of the tank wall exhibits greater deformation and vulnerable under the effect of wind-driven rain load. Also, it is evident that 0° to 18°, and, 0° to 27° circumferential area exhibit higher deformation for radius: thickness (R/t) ratios 500, and 250, respectively. In case of R/t ratios 125, and 166.67, the higher deformation zone is distributed 0° to 15° and 77° to 82° peripherally. This deformation behaviour of the tank wall, shows that the open-top tanks need to be stiffened at the top to withstand the wind-driven rain force. The magnitude of deformation exhibits increments with the decrease in the thickness of wall of the tank. Maximum deformation is observed for lowest thickness of the tank wall.