Liquid Sloshing of Oil Storage Tanks and Long-Period Strong Ground Motions in the 2003 Tokachi-Oki Earthquake

Abstract

The 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake caused the severe damage to oil storage tanks by liquid sloshing. Especially at Tomakomai, two tank fires broke out and six floating roofs sank. Seismograms showed that long-period motions were predominant and duration became longer when the seismic waves propagated into the Yufutsu Plain, where Tomakomai is located. Sloshing wave heights (Wh) of all tanks were calculated by two-dimensional response analysis. It was found that estimated Wh exceeded 3 m at periods 5 and 7.5 sec, and exceeded 2m from 3.5 to 9 sec of sloshing period and that severe damaged tanks had the highest Wh at each period in general.