Seismic Design of Elevated Water

Storage Tanks

Matt Clark, P.E., SECB

Senior Engineer
Chicago Bridge and Iron

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 1

 Seismic Design of Elevated Water
Storage Tanks
• Overview
– Illustrate the two general types of elevated water
storage tanks

– Provide a brief overview of seismic design of

elevated tanks per AWWA D100-05

– Answer the question, “How do I properly specify

seismic criteria for an elevated water storage
tank?”

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 2

 Elevated Water Storage Tanks
• Two general types of elevated water storage
tanks

– Cross-braced, column supported tank

– Pedestal-type tank

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 3

 Elevated Water Storage Tanks
• Cross-braced, column
supported tanks

– Resist lateral load via truss

action
– Multiple columns with
tension-only cross bracing
– Tanks with tension-
compression bracing are
beyond the scope of AWWA
D100-05
2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 4
 Elevated Water Storage Tanks

• Example: Cross-
braced, column
supported tanks

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 5

 Elevated Water Storage Tanks
• Pedestal-type tanks

– Resist lateral load via beam

(cantilever) action

– Cylindrical (smooth) or fluted

column (bent plate) support
structure

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 6

 Elevated Water Storage Tanks

• Example: Pedestal-
type elevated tank
with cylindrical
support structure
(Waterspheriod)

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 7

 Elevated Water Storage Tanks

• Example: Pedestal-
type elevated tank
with bent plate
support structure
(Hydropillar)

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 8

 Seismic Design per AWWA D100-05
• Significant changes from AWWA D100-96

• Seismic zones removed

• Ground motions same as ASCE 7

• Not required if Ss <= 0.15 and S1 <= 0.04

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 9

 Seismic Design per AWWA D100-05
• From Section 13.1.1 of AWWA D100-05

– “Applications of these provisions, as written, is

deemed to meet the intent and requirements of
ASCE 7. Techniques for applying these
provisions where regulatory requirements differ
from ASCE 7 are provided in the commentary.”

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 10

 Seismic Design per AWWA D100-05
• Requirements for Seismic Design
– Seismic Use Group
– Importance Factor, IE
– Mapped Acceleration Parameters, Ss and S1
– Site Class
– Site Coefficients, Fa and Fv
– Response Modification Factor, Ri and Rc

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 11

 Seismic Design per AWWA D100-05
• Requirements for Seismic Design
– Natural Period of Structure, Ti
– Design Response Spectra
• General Procedure
• Site-Specific Procedure
– Equivalent Lateral Force Method (ELF)
– Allowable stress method
• Accelerations divided by 1.4 to convert from strength
design approach to allowable stress approach

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 12

 Seismic Design per AWWA D100-05
• Additional Requirements
– P-delta Effects
– Tension Bracing Ductility
– Upset Bracing Rods
– Vertical Acceleration
– Critical Buckling for Pedestal-type Elevated
Tanks
• Alternate Procedures for Design
– Soil-structure interaction
– Fluid-structure interaction
2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 13
 Seismic Use Group
• Seismic Use Group
– Section 13.2.1
– Seismic Use Group III
• “… shall be used for tanks that provide direct service to
facilities that are deemed essential for post-earthquake
recovery and essential to the life, health and safety of the
public, including post-earthquake fire suppression.”
• Almost all elevated tanks fall into this category

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 14

 Seismic Use Group
• Seismic Use Group
– Seismic Use Group II
• “… shall be used for tanks that provide direct service to
facilities that are deemed important to the welfare of the
public.”
• Similar definition to Seismic Use Group III, however
significant difference in seismic design

– Seismic Use Group I

• Tanks not in Group II or III

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 15

 Seismic Importance Factor, IE
• Seismic Importance Factor, IE
– Section 13.2.2 and Table 24

– Based on Seismic Use Group

Seismic Use Group Seismic Importance Factor, IE

I 1.00
II 1.25
III 1.50

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 16

 Mapped Acceleration Parameters, Ss
and S1
• Mapped Acceleration Parameters, Ss and S1
– Mapped maximum considered earthquake
spectral response acceleration, 5% damped, at
0.2 second period (Ss) and 1 second period (S1)

– Based on a seismic event with a 2% probability of

exceedance within a 50 year period (2,500 year
event), Site Class B

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 17

 Mapped Acceleration Parameters, Ss
and S1
• Mapped Acceleration Parameters, Ss and S1
– Figures 5 through 18 in AWWA D100-05
– Figures 22-1 through 22-14 in ASCE 7-05
– CD that accompanied FEMA 450 (2003 NEHRP)
– Use USGS website
• http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/hazmaps/design/
• Java Ground Motion Parameter Calculator - Version
5.0.6 (2.8 MB)
– Use latitude and longitude, not zip codes
2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 18
 Site Class
• Site Class
– Used to determine short-period site coefficient, Fa
and long-period site coefficient, Fv

– Based on the type of soil present and their

engineering properties
• Shear wave velocity
• Standard penetration resistance
• Undrained shear strength

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 19

 Site Class
• Site Class
– Provided by
geotechnical
engineer

– Will influence type of

response spectra
required

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 20

 Site Coefficients, Fa and Fv
• Site Coefficients, Fa and Fv
– Section 13.2.5 and Tables 26 and 27

– Site Class required to determine Fa and Fv

– Adjusts mapped maximum considered earthquake

spectral repsonse acceleration to account for soil
conditions at project site

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 21

 Response Modification Factor, Ri and
Rc
• Response
Modification Factor,
Ri and Rc

– Section 13.2.6 and

Table 28

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 22

 Response Modification Factor, Ri and
Rc
Structure Ri Rc
(impulsive) (convective)
Cross-braced, 3.0 1.5*
column
supported
Pedestal-type 3.0 1.5*

*Only applicable with fluid-structure interaction procedure

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 23

 Natural Period of the Structure, Ti
• Natural period of the
structure, Ti

– Based on a linear, elastic

analysis

– Assumes all masses are

impulsive

– For calculation purposes,

limited to maximum of 4
seconds

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 24

 Design Response Spectra
• Two procedures for
determining
response spectra

– General procedure

– Site-specific
procedure

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 25

 Design Response Spectra
• General Procedure
– Focus of presentation

– Section 13.2.7

– Allowed for all site classes except F

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 26

 Design Response Spectra
• Step 1
– Adjust the maximum considered earthquake
spectral response acceleration from Site Class B
to the appropriate Site Class

– SMS = FaSs Equation 13-5

– SM1 = FvS1 Equation 13-6

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 27

 Design Response Spectra
• Step 2
– Scale the adjusted maximum considered
earthquake spectral response acceleration to the
design earthquake spectral response acceleration

– SDS = (2/3)SMS Equation 13-7

– SD1 = (2/3)SM1 Equation 13-8

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 28

 Design Response Spectra
• Step 3
– Determine the parameter, Ts

S D1
Ts 
S DS

• Step 4
– Determine the parameter, TL
– Use Figure 19
2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 29
 Design Response Spectra
• Step 5
– Determine the design response spectrum
acceleration for the impulsive components, Sai
0  Ti  TS S ai  S DS Equation 13-9

S D1
TS  Ti  TL S ai   S DS Equation 13-10
Ti

Ti  TL S ai 
TL S D1
Equation 13-11
Ti 2
2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 30
 Design Response Spectra
5 percent damped

0.5 percent damped

Design Spectral Response Acceleration Sai or S ac

SDS
SD1
Sai 
Ti
KSD1
Sac 
Tc
(multiple of g)

TL SD1
SD1 Sai 
Ti 2
KTL SD1
Sac 
Tc2

TS 1.0 TL

Period Ti or Tc (sec)

From AWWA D100-05, Figure A.2

Design response spectra – general procedure

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 31

 Design Response Spectra

• Step 6
– Determine Design Acceleration, Ai

S ai I E 0.36 S1 I E
Ai   Equation 13-16
1.4 Ri Ri

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 32

 Design Response Spectra
• Site-Specific Procedure
– Section 13.2.8
– Required for Site Class F
– May be specified by Engineer/Owner
– If required or specified, it shall be in accordance
with Section 3.4 of FEMA 450 (2003 NEHRP
Provisions)
– Refer to Section 13.2.8 for additional information

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 33

 Equivalent Lateral Force Method
• Equivalent Lateral Force (ELF)

– Fixed base, single degree of

freedom model (SDOF)

– Water treated as a rigid

(impulsive) mass

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 34

 Equivalent Lateral Force Method
• Equivalent Lateral Force (ELF)

– Required whenever seismic design is required

V  AiW Equation 13-20

– Used as a reference base shear if soil-structure

and/or fluid-structure interaction performed

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 35

 Seismic Design Requirements
• Additional Requirements
– Pedestal or Tower Stresses
– P-delta Effects
– Tension Bracing Ductility
– Upset Bracing Rods
– Vertical Design Acceleration
– Critical Buckling Check

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 36

 Pedestal or Tower Stresses
• Pedestal or Tower refers to the support
structure between the tank and foundation

• Allowable compressive and tensile stresses

may be increased by 1/3 for seismic loading

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 37

 P-Delta Effects
D

• Applies to pedestal or
columns, anchorage and
foundation

• Equal to 3 times the elastic

deflection due to Ai
(deflection at Ri = 1.0)

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 38

 Tension Bracing Ductility
• Required for cross-braced, column supported
tanks only

• Check required for connections, wing plates,

struts and anchor bolts when tension bracing
load is (4/3)Fy

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 39

 Upset Bracing Rods
• Required for cross-braced, column supported
tanks only

• Ends shall be upset or have englarged-thread

ends

• Root area of threaded ends shall be larger

than the bracing rod area
2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 40
 Vertical Design Acceleration
• “… design of the tank, tower and anchorage
shall include load effects from vertical
acceleration Av…”

• Effects of vertical acceleration shall not be

included in the design of the foundation

• Av = 0.14SDS

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 41

 Vertical Design Acceleration
• Combined stresses
– fa = actual stress due to gravity loads
– fa,eqv = actual stress due to vertical seismic
accelerations
– fb,eqh = actual stress due to horizontal seismic
accelerations
– Fa = allowable axial stress
– Fb = allowable bending stress

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 42

 Vertical Design Acceleration
• Combined stresses
– Direct Sum
f a 0.4 f a ,eqv f b ,eqh
   1 .0
Fa Fa Fb

– SRSS Combination
1

f a  f a ,eqv   f b ,eqh  
2 2 2

        1 .0
Fa  Fa   Fb  

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 43
 Critical Buckling Check
• Critical Buckling Check
– New requirement in AWWA D100-05

– Required due to increase in impulsive Response

Modification Factor, Ri, in ASCE 7 from 2 to 3

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 44

 Critical Buckling Check
• What is critical buckling?
– “Shell elements that resist horizontal seismic
forces and whose primary mode of failure is local
or general buckling shall be checked to ensure
that buckling will not occur when load effects from
horizontal design acceleration with IE/(1.4Ri) equal
to 1.0 (i.e. Ai = Sai) are considered.”

– Ensure enough capacity to develop the forces

associated with Ri = 1.0
2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 45
 Critical Buckling Check
• Do I need to check critical buckling?
– Only required for pedestal-type tanks
– Only required for buckling elements (pedestal
only)
– Not required for cross-braced, column supported
tanks
– Critical buckling loads shall not be applied to the
foundation or anchorage

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 46

 Critical Buckling Check
• How do I apply this requirement?
– Use same equations as previously shown except
that Ai = Sai

– Allowable stress of shell elements, FL, may be

increased by a factor of 2

– Appropriate slenderness factors, K, shall be

applied

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 47

 Critical Buckling Check
• How do I apply this requirement?
– May use alternate procedures to reduce critical
buckling loads

– Limits to base shear reduction

• VELF, CRITICAL = base shear using ELF method at Ai = Sai
levels
• VFSI, CRITICAL = base shear using fluid-structure and soil-
structure at Ai = Sai levels
• VFSI, CRITICAL >= 0.50VELF, CRITICAL

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 48

 Alternate Procedures for Design
• Alternate Procedures for Design

– Soil-structure interaction

– Fluid-structure interaction

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 49

 Soil-Structure Interaction
• Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI)

– Accounts for the translational and

rotational stiffness of the
foundation and the damping of
the soil-foundation system

– Reduces base shear

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 50

 Soil-Structure Interaction
• Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI)

– May be used, but not required

– Procedure shall be similar to that given in ASCE

7-05 Chapter 19

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 51

 Soil-Structure Interaction
• Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI)

– Limits to base shear reduction

• VELF = base shear using ELF method
• VSSI = base shear using soil-structure interaction
• VSSI >= 0.75VELF

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 52

 Fluid-Structure Interaction
• Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI)
– Frequency separation required
• Only allowed when the first mode sloshing wave
(convective) period is greater than three times the natural
period of the structure for the impulsive components

– Fluid-structure interaction may be used alone or in

conjunction with soil-structure interaction

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 53

 Fluid-Structure Interaction
• Fluid-Structure
Interaction (FSI)

– Involves dividing the water

mass into convective and
impulsive components

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 54

 Fluid-Structure Interaction
• Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI)
– “… shall be determined for the specific
configuration by detailed fluid-structure interaction
analysis or testing.”

– Frequency separation required

• Only allowed when the first mode sloshing wave period is
greater than three times the natural period of the
structure for the impulsive components

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 55

 Fluid-Structure Interaction
• Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI)
– Limits to base shear reduction
• VELF = base shear using ELF method
• VFSI = base shear using fluid-structure interaction with or
without soil-structure interaction
• VFSI >= 0.75VELF

– Fluid-structure interaction may be used alone or in

conjunction with soil-structure interaction

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 56

 How do I properly specify seismic
criteria for an elevated water storage
tank?”

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 57

Specifying Seismic Criteria for Elevated
Water Storage Tanks
• Update your specifications
– Remove any reference to old AWWA D100
references (D100-84 or D100-96)
– Remove any reference to “fixed percent” or
“seismic zones”
– Update your specifications to “AWWA D100,
Latest Edition” or “AWWA D100-05”

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 58

Specifying Seismic Criteria for Elevated
Water Storage Tanks
• Seismic Use Group
– Section 13.2.1

– Specify appropriate Use Group

– ASCE 7 Occupancy Category different

designation than AWWA D100-05 Seismic Use
Group designation

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 59

 Specifying Seismic Criteria for Elevated
Water Storage Tanks
• Seismic Importance Factor, IE
– Section 13.2.2

– Specify corresponding
Importance Factor, IE

– DO NOT ASSUME IE = 1.50,

STATE IT

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 60

Specifying Seismic Criteria for Elevated
Water Storage Tanks
• Latitude and Longitude of Site
– Specify latitude and longitude at site
– Specify Ss and S1
– Use AWWA D100-05, ASCE 7-05, FEMA 450 or
USGS website
– DO NOT USE ZIP CODES!

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 61

Specifying Seismic Criteria for Elevated
Water Storage Tanks
• Site Class and Response Spectra
– Section 13.2.4
– Involve geotechnical engineer
– If Site Class F, site-specific response spectra
required
– Site class selection will greatly influence seismic
design
• Freeboard
– No requirement for additional freeboard for
elevated tanks
2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 62
Specifying Seismic Criteria for Elevated
Water Storage Tanks

• If you provide the previous items, you will

have properly specified the parameters which
the contractor needs in designing the
elevated water storage tank for seismic loads

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 63

 ELF Example
• Calculate the base shear using the equivalent
lateral force method for an elevated water
storage tank

• Assume the following parameters:

• Pedestal-style Tank
• Ri = 3.0
• Seismic Use Group III

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 64

 ELF Example
• Assume the following parameters:
• Seismic Importance Factor, IE = 1.50
• Site Class D Soil
• Ss = 0.70g
• S1 = 0.33g
• Total weight of structure, W = 500 kips
• Natural period of structure, Ti = 1.2 seconds
• Region dependent transition period, TL = 8
seconds
2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 65
 ELF Example
• Step 1
– Determine Site Coefficients, Fa and Fv
• Use Table 26, with Ss = 0.70g and Site Class D
• Interpolate between Ss = 0.50g and Ss = 0.75g
• Fa = 1.24

• Use Table 27, with S1 = 0.33g and Site Class D

• Interpolate between S1 = 0.30g and S1 = 0.40g
• Fv = 1.74

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 66

 ELF Example
• Step 2
– Determine Maximum Considered Earthquake
Spectral Response Accelerations, SMS and SM1,
adjusted for site class effects

• SMS = FaSs (Equation 13-5)

• SMS = 1.24 * 0.70g
• SMS = 0.868g

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 67

 ELF Example
• Step 2 Continued
– Determine Maximum Considered Earthquake
Spectral Response Accelerations, SMS and SM1,
adjusted for site class effects

• SM1 = FvS1 (Equation 13-6)

• SM1 = 1.74 * 0.33g
• SM1 = 0.574g

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 68

 ELF Example
• Step 3
– Determine Design Earthquake Spectral Response
Accelerations, SDS and SD1

• SDS = USMS (Equation 13-7)

• SDS = (2/3) * 0.868g
• SDS = 0.579g

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 69

 ELF Example
• Step 3 Continued
– Determine Design Earthquake Spectral Response
Accelerations, SDS and SD1

• SD1 = USM1 (Equation 13-8)

• SD1 = (2/3) * 0.574g
• SD1 = 0.383g

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 70

 ELF Example
• Step 4
– Determine the value of Ts

• Ts = SD1/SDS
• Ts = 0.383g / 0.579g
• Ts = 0.661

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 71

 ELF Example
• Step 5
– Determine Sai
• Ts = 0.661 seconds
• Ti = 1.20 seconds
• TL = 8 seconds

• Ts < Ti < TL, Use Equation 13-10

• Sai = (SD1 / Ti) <= SDS
• Sai = (0.383g / 1.2 seconds)
• Sai = 0.319g

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 72

 ELF Example
• Step 6
– Determine the ELF design acceleration, Ai
– Using Equation 13-16,
• Sai = 0.319g
• IE = 1.50
• Ri = 3.0
• S1 = 0.33g
• Ai = 0.1139g and Ai, min = 0.0594g
• Therefore, Ai = 0.1139g

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 73

 ELF Example
• Step 7
– Determine base shear, V
• V = AiW
• V = 0.1139g * 500 kips
• V = 57.0 kips

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 74

 Acknowledgment of Source
• All items in “…” are directly taken from

American Water Works Association

Welded Carbon Steel Storage Tanks for Water
Storage
ANSI/AWWA D100-05

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 75

 Questions?

2007 ASCE/SEI Structure Congress - Long Beach, CA - May 18, 2007 76