Behaviour of liquid storage tanks with VCFPS under near-fault ground motions

Abstract

Earthquake response of slender and broad liquid storage steel tanks isolated with variable curvature friction pendulum systems (VCFPSs) is investigated under near-fault motions. The tanks isolated with VCFPS are idealised with three-degrees-of-freedom associated with convective, impulsive and rigid masses. The frictional forces mobilised at the interface of the VCFPS are assumed to be velocity independent. The governing equations of motion of isolated tank are derived and solved in the incremental form using Newmark's method. For comparative study, the seismic response of liquid storage tanks with the VCFPSs is compared with that of same liquid storage tanks isolated using the friction pendulum systems (FPSs). The seismic response of isolated liquid storage tanks is also compared with that of the non-isolated tanks. Further, a parametric study is carried out to critically examine the behaviour of liquid storage tanks isolated with the VCFPSs. The important parameters considered are the friction coefficient of VCFPS, the fundamental period at the centre of the sliding surface of VCFPS and the tank aspect ratio. It is observed that under near-fault ground motions, the VCFPS is quite effective in controlling the seismic response, viz. the base shear, the sloshing displacement and the impulsive displacement, of liquid storage tanks.