Seismic response of aboveground steel storage tanks: comparative study of analyses by six and three correlated earthquake components

Ground motions at a point on the ground surface can be decomposed to six components, namely three translational components and three rotational components; translational components include two components in the horizontal plane, and one in the vertical direction. Rotation about horizontal axes leads to rising of rocking, while the rotational component about a vertical axis generates torsional effects even in symmetrical buildings. Due to evident and significant contribution of ground shakings to the overall response of structures, rocking and torsional components of these motions resulted by strong earthquakes are recently subjected to widespread researches by engineering and research communities. In this study, first rotational components of ground motion are determined using a method developed by Hong-Nan Li and et al (2004). This method is based on frequency dependence on the angle of incidence and the wave velocity. In consequence, aboveground steel storage tanks (ASSTs) with different water elevations have been analyzed with the effects of these six components of earthquake. Three translational components of six important earthquakes have been adopted to generate relevant rotational components based on SV and SH wave incidence by the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) with the discrete frequencies of time histories of translational motion. Using finite element method, linear properties of tank material including steel for cylindrical tanks have been taken into with considering fluid-structure interaction. Numerical linear dynamic analysis of these structures considering six components of earthquake motions is presented; results are compared with cases in which three translational components are considered