Non-stationary random vibration of an elastic circular cylindrical liquid storage tank to a simulated earthquake excitation with two-directional horizontal components.

Abstract

The non-stationary response of an elastic circular cylindrical tank partially filled with liquid is investigated to a simulated earthquake excitation with two-directional horizontal components. The earthquake accelerations are modeled as amplitude modulated random processes and the mean and standard deviation responses of the liquid surface displacement and wall deformations are calculated to both the simulated long and short period earthquake excitations, which respectively cause sloshing and bulging type motions to the liquid-tank system. It is shown that consideration of nonlinearity in the liquid motion and also cross-correlatios between two-directional components of the earthquake excitation is important for obtaining an acculate response analysis and also a reasonable estimation for seismic safety of liquid storage tanks.