The study of wind-interference effect on an elevated RC circular tank due to an adjacent building

Abstract

Elevated water tanks are constructed to store and supply the water to a building (residential, official, commercial, institutional, etc.) or community, as per demand. Elevated tanks are vulnerable under wind loading, especially when empty. Due to the unavailability of proper and adequate literature on the effect of wind loading on reinforced concrete (RC) circular elevated tank, the present authors have taken up this issue for study. The effect of interference of wind on an elevated RC water tank with circular cross-section, caused by a building adjacent to that water tank, has been studied by performing fluid structure interaction (FSI) analyses. The along and across wind flow cases have been considered to understand the effect of wind directionality. The spacing between the elevated tank and the building, along with the height of interfering building have been varied. The wind pressure coefficient distribution and the deformation contour of the empty elevated tank for isolated and building-interference conditions have been calculated and compared. The concentration of wind-pressure (which is positive in nature) at windward region of principal elevated tank decreases with the decrease in proximity between the tank and the interfering building, for along wind flow condition. Due to the proximity of the interfering building, high deformation zone has been observed at the side region of the elevated principal tank, under the excitation of along wind flow. Also, the magnitude of the deformation of the elevated tank decreases with the decrease in the proximity of the interfering building from the tank, considering the along wind flow. In case of across wind flow, the high deformation zone can be observed at the windward region of the elevated principal tank. The elevated tank columns are observed to exhibit sway under the transverse effect of wind loading.