Numerical Investigation on Sloshing Phenomena in U-Shaped Containers Subjected to Near-Fault Strong Ground Motions

Abstract

In a laterally excited, partially liquid-filled U-shaped container, oscillation is the predominant motion of the liquid. However, there would be some sloshing in the liquid free surface at the vertical limbs of the container. Due to the presence of high-energy velocity pulses, near-fault ground motions can cause significant sloshing in the vertical limbs of the container. Thus, it is necessary to examine the effect of near-fault earthquake excitations on the sloshing liquid height, sloshing-induced hydrodynamic pressure, and shear stress at the walls of the U-shaped containers. The same is attempted in this paper. The standard “k-epsilon” turbulence model with enhanced wall function is considered in this study. The outcome of this study reveals that the time-wise frequency variation of the near-fault ground motions significantly affects the sloshing response of the liquid stored in the U-shaped containers. It is observed that the sloshing-induced hydrodynamic pressure is severely influenced by the frequency content of the ground motion records rather than their peak ground acceleration.