For economic reasons, foundations of large tanks for fluid storage tend to be shallow and may consequently suffer differential settlement under load. But these tanks are ductile and are able to tolerate limited settlement without distress. For an economic limitation of settlement, the structure should be analyzed rationally. In this paper, the effects of peripheral differential settlement on the shell are evaluated for the practical case of a tapering wall thickness in floating roof tanks which have a relatively flexible response to warping displacements. Previous research has centred on walls of uniform thickness, and is therefore of more limited relevance. Settlement of harmonic form is imposed at the base, and shell deformations and stresses determined in accurate finite element analysis. The significance of stresses in the primary wind girder, adjoining shell and at the bottom is assessed in relation to radial displacement at the top arising from the warping displacement. Results of recent laboratory tests particularly relevant to stress distribution are reported.
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