Catastrophic failure of a polypropylene tank Part ii: comparison of the DVS 2205 code of practice and the design of the failed tank

Abstract The design of a failed, large (20 m 3 ) polypropylene storage tank is compared with the recommendations of the German Code of Practice, DVS 2205, to which it allegedly conformed. It is shown that the tank was seriously under-designed, and that the situation was exacerbated by the introduction of residual tensile stresses in its walls during its manufacture.