ISSN: 2277-3754

ISO 9001:2008 Certified

International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology (IJEIT)
Volume 3, Issue 5, November 2013

Analysis of Water Tank on Sloping Ground

Dr. S. A. Halkude, A. A. Perampalli
Abstract providing elevated water tanks on sloping ground is
quite a typical and challenging job. Forces develop on structure
resting on sloping ground are more severe than those resting on
leveled surface. Detailed analysis is required in case of elevated
storage reservoir (ESR) which is provided on sloping surfaces. A
special attention need to be taken for earthquake & wind forces.
Comparison of different forces induced in various members of
tank on leveled surface & with increasing slope for different
heights has been thoroughly studied. Axial force, shear force &
bending moment are compared for different structural
components of tank viz. base beams, columns & bracings. The
present study aims at evaluating the effect of sloping ground on
column and braces at different bracing level. The optimized
column section for different slopes is evaluated.
Index TermsBending Moment, Continuity Analysis,
Elevated Storage Reservoir, Shear Force, Sloping Ground.

I. INTRODUCTION
Storage of water in the form of tanks for drinking and
washing purposes, swimming pools for exercise and
enjoyment and sewage sedimentation tanks are gaining
increasing importance in the present day life. A water tank is
used to store water to tide over the daily requirements.
Elevated tanks are supported on staging which may consist of
masonry walls, R.C.C. columns braced together, counter
walls subjected to water pressure. In water supply scheme,
water tanks generally account for 10% to 20% of the overall
cost. This is quite substantial proportion and thus, there is a
need to achieve economy in construction of water tanks. The
hilly seismic regions of our country ranges from Jammu and
Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram.
The Western Ghats better known as Sahyadri are a hilly range
running parallel to the coast. Kalsubai, a peak in the
Sahyadris is the highest elevated point in Maharashtra. Due
to rapid urbanization and economic development, it is
important to make the optimistic combinations of structure
on sloping ground.
II. THEOROTICAL FORMULATION
In this paper, water tank is analyzed by continuity analysis
method because it is assumed that joints are monolithic
therefore one need to construct the various components of
water tank simultaneously for ensuring monolithicness.
Merlecha(7) analyzed the water tank on sloping ground using
continuity analysis for four columns configuration, the author
found that the increase in flexural action in most of the cases
is maximum when the level difference between the columns
is about mid height of bottom bay column. The present work
employs continuity analysis for studying nine columns ESR
having a storage capacity of 2 lac liters for 9m and 12m
staging heights on sloping ground.

Continuity Analysis: The stresses due to continuity are

obtained by applying the principle of consistent deformation.
The vertical displacement is always same at each joint as
each shell is free to deform in this direction and consistency
needs to be satisfied for horizontal forces and angular
displacement between the shells meeting at a joint. This will
need the knowledge of stiffness of each shell at horizontal
and angular moments. The first part of calculation is to find
stresses and carry out the design. The second part of the
analysis consists of framing equations of consistency of
deformation for finding the continuity effect. The detailed
analysis procedure is as mentioned in Jai Krishna and
O.P.Jain (9).
Design Approach: All the components of the ESR are
analyzed considering Dead load, Live load, Wind load and
Earthquake forces and their combinations. Also, the ESR is
analyzed for the tank full and tank empty conditions. The
permissible stresses in material are increased by 33% for
wind force. Whenever the effect of wind and seismic forces
together are taken into account, the safe bearing capacity of
soil is increased by 25%. The design is done in accordance
with the procedure laid down in I.S: 3370-1967 Part I-IV (15).
Design Problem: The results of analysis& design of ESR
having a capacity of 2 lac liters resting on soil having safe
bearing capacity of 200N/mm2 for 9m and 12m staging
heights are briefly compared in parametric work.
III. PARAMETRIC STUDY
In present parametric work, comparison of axial force,
shear force and bending moment for various ground slopes
are carried out for 9m and 12m staging heights of water tanks.
The percentage variation in shear force and bending moment
for different ground slopes are shown with the help of graphs.
Also, the required cross-sectional area of column section with
respect to different slopes is shown with the help of graphs.
A. Variation of shear force and bending moment for 9m
and 12m height of tank
Graph 1: shows percentage variation in shear force for
different ground slope in left column (which is on higher
side). It is observed that as the ground slope increases
percentage variation in shear force for both the staging
heights also increases. However, the rate of increase in shear
force becomes milder with increasing slope. Also, as the
staging height increases the rate of increase of shear force
becomes milder.
Graph 2: shows percentage variation in bending moment for
different ground slope in left column (which is on higher
side).It is observed that as the ground slope increases
percentage variation in bending moment also increases up to
140 for 9m height and up to 210 for 12m height respectively,
thereafter, it decreases in both the cases. However, the rate of
increase in bending moment becomes milder with increasing

324

ISSN: 2277-3754
ISO 9001:2008 Certified
International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology (IJEIT)
Volume 3, Issue 5, November 2013
slope. With increasing staging height the percentage
variation in bending moment decreases.

Percentage variation in shear force for both the staging

heights increases and decreases steeply as shown in Graph 5.
Graph 6: shows percentage variation in bending moment for
different ground slope in right column (which is on lower
side). It is observed that as the ground slope increases the
percentage variation in bending moment increases steeply up
to 40 for 9m height whereas for 12m height it increases
steeply up to 50 respectively and attains a maximum value of
bending moment. Thereafter bending moment decreases
mildly with increasing slope. However after attaining the
maximum bending moment there afterwards, the rate of
decrease of bending moment with increasing ground slope
becomes milder with increasing staging height.

Graph 3: shows percentage variation in shear force for

different ground slope in middle column. It is observed that
as the ground slope increases the percentage variation in
shear force for both the staging heights also increases. The
nature of increase for 9m height is steep, whereas for 12m
height it is mild in nature.
Graph 4: shows percentage variation in bending moment for
different ground slope in middle column. It is observed that
as the ground slope increases the percentage variation in
bending moment for both the heights also increases. The
nature of increase for 9m height is steep in nature whereas for
12m height it is mild in nature.
Graph 5: shows percentage variation in shear force for
different ground slope in right column (which is on lower
side). It is observed that as the ground slope increases the

B. Area of column required Vs ground slope for 9m and

12m height of tank
Graph 7: shows area of column required Vs ground slope. It
is observed that as the slope of the ground increases area of
column required also increases for both 9m and 12m height
of staging. Further area of required column increases up to
specific point i.e. peak point and then it decreases with
increase in ground slope as shown in graph 7. It is also

325

ISSN: 2277-3754
ISO 9001:2008 Certified
International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology (IJEIT)
Volume 3, Issue 5, November 2013
observed that as the height of column staging increases area
of column required also increases.
C. Schematic sketch of shear force and bending moment
diagram for 9m and 12m height of tank
The Fig.1, Fig.2, Fig.5, Fig.6 shows Shear Force Diagram
(S.F.D) and Fig.3, Fig.4, Fig.7, Fig.8 shows Bending
Moment Diagram (B.M.D) for ESR having staging height of
9m and 12m respectively on level and sloping ground.

Effect on shear force

It is observed that shear force increases in the part of a
column resting on the higher side of the sloping ground as
shown in Fig.2 and Fig.6. On the sloping ground the shear
force is maximum which is more than 5 times that of shear
force for a frame on level ground. As we go to upper storey,
the shear force decreases drastically at first floor level, there
afterwards for upper floors it is nearly same compared to first
floor level as shown in Fig.2. For the middle column the
shear force is higher compared to the frame on level ground.
The shear force on the right side column (column on lower
ground side) is nearly in the same range as compared to the
frame on level ground. Over all the effect of shear force on
colums of higher side on the sloping ground is much more
significantly higher as compared to columns on lower sides
of sloping ground. As the height of the staging increases the
effect on increasing shear force becomes milder.
Effect on bending moment
The bending moment at the ground bracing level on the
higher side of the sloping ground is nearly double in
comparison with frames on level ground as shown in Fig.3
and Fig.4. As one moves towards middle and the right hand
side column it is observed that the nature of bending moment
from footing to ground brace level changes (Reversal of
nature of B.M) shown in Fig.4 and Fig.8. As one goes
towards upper floors the effect on bending moments due to
sloping ground becomes milder and at the top storey average
8 to 12 percent increase in bending moment with respect to
frames on level ground is observed. The effect of increase in
bending moment becomes milder with increasing storey
height.

326

ISSN: 2277-3754
ISO 9001:2008 Certified
International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology (IJEIT)
Volume 3, Issue 5, November 2013
i. As we move from right to left column i.e. (from lower side
to higher side of sloping ground) the shear force increases
from 10% to 80% for 9m height of tank whereas for 12m
height of tank it increases from 7% to 82%. This shows that
as the height of staging increases shear force increases.
ii. As we move from right to left column i.e. (from lower to
higher side) the bending moment increases from 12% to 42%
for 9m height of tank whereas for 12m height of tank it
increases from 13% to 25%. This shows that as the height of
staging increases bending moment decreases.
iii. The shear force variation is up to 80% at the ground
bracing level for different sloping ground as compared to
level surface for 9m height whereas for 12m height it
increases to 82%. Therefore, there is no significant increase
in shear force with increasing staging height.
iv. The bending moment variation is up to 42% at the ground
bracing level for different sloping ground as compared to
level surface for 9m height whereas for 12m height it
decreases to 25%. Therefore, there is significant decrease in
bending moment with increasing staging height.
v. It is observed that the effect of shear force on columns of
higher side on the sloping ground is much more significantly
higher as compared to the columns on lower sides of sloping
ground.
vi. It is observed that the effect of bending moment at the
ground bracing level on the higher side of the sloping ground
is nearly double in comparison with frames on level ground.
It is also observed that the effect of increase in bending
moment due to sloping ground becomes milder with
increasing storey height.
vii. It is observed that as the height of column staging
increases area of column required also increases.
V. CONCLUSION
For the ESR on sloping ground, it is observed that both
shear force and bending moment increases steeply in the
column resting on the higher side of the sloping ground.
However the increase in Shear force & Bending Moment
becomes milder as one goes towards downward side of slope.
It is also observed that as one moves towards upper stories,
effect of increse in shear force & bending moment due to
sloping ground becomes still milder. There is no significant
change in axial force with respect to variation of slope of
ground. For the increase in height of staging, the cross section
of required area of column also increases.
REFERENCES
[1] M.Kalani, S.A.Salpekar A Comparative study of different
methods of Analysis of staging of elevated water tanks, Indian
Concrete Journal, pp 210-214, July-1978.

IV. RESULT & DISCUSSION

On the basis of detailed parametric study presented above,
following are the discussion on results.

[2] S.S Kulkarni, M.M Basole Rehabilitation of damaged

elevated service reservoir, Indian Concrete Journal, pp
187-189, July-1981.

327

ISSN: 2277-3754
ISO 9001:2008 Certified
International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technology (IJEIT)
Volume 3, Issue 5, November 2013
[3] C.V.S. Kamesware Rao Analysis of supporting tower of
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
overhead tanks, Indian Concrete Journal, pp 265-766, Oct
-1983.

[4] M.L.Gambhir Reinforced concrete water tanks with vertical

walls subjected to compression, Indian Concrete Journal, pp
103-108, April-1986.
[5] Liu Wing Kam, Dennis Lam, Ted, Belytschko, Bak Wong,
Earthquake analysis of liquid storage tanks, Dynamic
response of structures. Journal of Structural Engineering, pp
226-232, March-April 1986.
[6] Sudhir K. Jain, Sajjad Sameer U Lateral load analysis of
frame stagings for elevated water tanks, Journal of Structural
Engineering, Vol.120, No.5, May-1994.
[7] Ms.Merlecha S.K., Analysis of water tank on sloping
ground, P.G. dissertation 2002, Civil Engg. Dept., Govt.
College of Engineering, Aurangabad.
[8] A. R. Ghaemmaghami and M. R. Kianoush Effect of Wall
Flexibility on Dynamic Response of Concrete Rectangular
Liquid Storage Tanks under Horizontal and Vertical Ground
Motions, Journal of Structural Engineering, Vol.136, No.4,
April 2010.
[9] Jai Krishna and O.P.Jain, Plain and reinforced concrete,
Vol.II-New Chand and Bros, Roorkee, pp 131-215.

Dr. S. A. Halkude, M.Tech. (IIT, Bombay in Civil

Engineering), Ph.D. (IIT Bombay) is working as a Principal at Walchand
Institute of Technology Solapur. He is also shouldering the responsibility as
a Dean faculty of Engineering & Technology, Solapur University, Solapur
(Maharashtra, India). To his credit 11 Journal and 14 Conference Research
publications. Is recipient of IGS-Dr. B.B. Rai- S. N. Gupta Bi-ennial Prize
for the best paper on Earth and Earth Retaining Structures. Fellow member
of The Institution of Engineers (India), Life Member of Indian Society for
Technical Education, New Delhi and Life Member of Indian Society for
Rock Mechanics and Tunneling Technology, New Delhi. He is recipient of
Eminent Educationist Award by National & International Compendium,
New Delhi (India).

Mr. Perampalli A.A., M.E. Civil Engineering

(Structures), Working as Asst.Professor in B.I.G.C.E. Solapur.

[10] Chopra A.K (1998) Dynamics of structures theory and

application to earthquake engineering, Prentice Hall
Publication, New Delhi.
[11] Ramamurtham S, Narayanan R, Design of Reinforced
Concrete Structures, XII Edition, DhanpatRai and Sons, New
Delhi, pp 545-593.
[12] I.C.Syal, A.K.Goel, Reinforced concrete structures, III
edition, pp 509-583.
[13] I.S 1893-2002, Criteria for Earthquake Resistant Design of
Structures, (Fifth Revision) Bureau of Indian Standards, New
Delhi.
[14] I.S draft code 1893-1984 (1966), Liquid retaining
tanks-elevated and ground supported, Bureau of Indian
Standards, New Delhi.
[15] I.S: 3370-1967 Part I-IV, Code of practice for concrete
structures for the storage of liquids, Bureau of Indian
Standards, New Delhi.
[16] I.S: 13920-1993, Ductile detailing of reinforced concrete
structures subjected to seismic force, Bureau of Indian
Standards, New Delhi.
[17] I.S: 11682-1985, Design of R.C.C. Staging for Overhead
Tank, Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi.
[18] IS: 456-2000, Code of practice for plain and R.C. Structures,
Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi.
[19] IS: 875-1987 (Part I-IV), Code for design consideration of
loads on structures, Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi.

328