NEHRP Clearinghouse
- Title
- Experimental Study of 'Elephant Foot Bulge' Instability of Thin-Walled Metal Tanks.
- File
- PB89207195.pdf
- Author(s)
- Jia, Z. H.; Ketter, R. L.
- Source
- National Science Foundation, Washington, DC., February 22, 1989, 56 p.
- Identifying Number(s)
- NCEER-89-0004
- Abstract
- The study was primarily intended to identify and quantify the 'elephant foot bulge' failure mechanism. Shaking table studies were carried out to investigate the buckling behavior of cylindrical liquid storage tanks under base excitations. Two specially designed aluminum tank models were fabricated and subjected to various seismic loadings. The intensity of the shaking was gradually increased until the 'bulge' occurred. The post buckling failure patterns were almost identical to those observed in the field. Test results of the study indicate that current seismic design criteria do not necessarily safeguard against this type of failure. New design criteria and design alternatives are needed.
- Keywords
- Elephant foot bulge; Steel construction; Thin walled shells; Failure; Experimental data; Storage tanks; Steel structures; Shells (Structural forms); Design standards; Earthquake engineering; Structural members; Design criteria; Structural analysis