Abstract

Most aboveground storage tanks are thin wall structures with very high D/t ratio which make them highly susceptible to local buckling when their shells are subjected to small axial or lateral loading. A serious tank shell buckle would reflect that the structural integrity of the tank is in question and would not be tolerated especially if these tanks are used to store hazardous and toxic products.

In the case of Miri Crude Oil Terminal (MCOT) Tank-78, its shell was buckled extensively when it was lowered on a wooden support which was accidentally set 90 mm higher than the rest of the adjacent supports. This paper outlines both the analytical and practical methods used to obtain the buckle recovery whilst ensuring the tank’s structural integrity is intact. The method of analysis used herein and its subsequent verification in the field could possibly be the first application of its kind in the world.