The buckling behaviour of horizontal storage vessels - experiments and codes

摘要

When horizontal cylindrical vessels are used for liquid storage and the internal pressure surcharge is relatively small, gravity loading becomes the primary design condition. This invariably results in a 'thin walled' vessel with a high value of the radius to thickness (R/t) ratio. Experimental work, by the authors, has indicated that such vessels failed by buckling when the R/t ratio was greater than 200. It was noted that the stresses that cause buckling behaviour are the longitudinal and circumferential membrane compressive stresses at the vessel mid-span and the saddle centre profiles. Allowable buckling stress values, based on simple loading patterns, are obtained based on present British Standard rules, and on ECCS and European recommendations. These values are compared with the experimental results for a range of thin-walled vessels, in an effort to provide corroborative evidence for the approach used by the Code.