International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

Research Article
PERFORMANCE OF ELEVATED WATER TANKS SUBJECTED
TO WIND FORCES
Dr. Hirde Suchita K. 1, Bajare Asmita A. 2, Hedaoo Manoj N. 3

Address for Correspondence

1
Professor in Applied Mechanics, Govt. College of Engineering, Karad, Satara, Maharashtra, India
2
Assistant Engineer grade I, PWD trainee officer, Amravati, Maharashtra, India
3
Associate Professor in Civil Engineering, Govt. College of Engineering, Karad, Satara, Maharashtra, India
Email: hirde.suchita@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
In areas with high probability of natural disasters, ability of lifeline systems to resist disaster related damages is one of
the most important civil engineering challenges. Elevated water tanks are one of the most important lifeline structures.
In this paper an extensive computational study has been conducted to find out the performance of elevated water tank
under wind force. Since these structures have large mass concentrated at the top of slender supporting structure, these
structures are especially vulnerable to horizontal forces due to wind. Finite element models of 240 elevated water tanks
have been analyzed. Elevated water tanks are analyzed with different parameters to study the effect of capacity, height
of staging, terrain category and wind zone. Findings of the present study shall lead us to better understanding of the
behavior of elevated water tank under wind load and safer design of such structure.
KEYWORDS Elevated water tank, wind analysis.
INTRODUCTION structure and hence these structures are
Indian sub-continent is highly vulnerable to especially vulnerable to horizontal forces due to
natural disasters like earthquakes, draughts, wind. Finite element models of 240 elevated
floods, cyclones, landslides, avalanches etc. water tanks have been analyzed to study the
Majority of states or union territories are prone performance of this structure under wind force
to one or multiple disasters. These natural by changing various parameters like capacity,
calamities are causing many casualties and height of staging, terrain category and wind
innumerable property loss every year. There has zone. The results presented in this paper will be
been an increasing trend in the occurrence of useful to the designer to understand the effect of
hazardous events over the last few decades. High various factors as mentioned above on the
wind storms occur in many parts of India, the magnitude of wind force acting on the elevated
coastal states of Gujarat, Tamilnadu, Andhra, water tank.
Orissa and West Bengal get more seriously IMPORTANCE OF ELEVATED WATER
affected because of the occurrence of cyclonic TANK AND ITS STUDY
storms. Each such storm causes widespread Water supply is a life line facility that must
damage1. Hence, the response of structures under remain functional following disaster. Most
wind effects is very important area where the municipalities in India have water supply system
researchers should concentrate and bring out which depends on elevated tanks for storage.
effective disaster mitigating techniques so that Elevated water tank is a large elevated water
life line facilities remain in function. Ferocity of storage container constructed for the purpose of
the wind is the main reason for wind induced holding a water supply at a height sufficient to
disaster. Hence we must be prepared to fight the pressurize a water distribution system. In major
impending disaster due to wind by understanding cities the main supply scheme is augmented by
the performance of the structure under wind individual supply systems of institutions and
load. In this paper an extensive computational industrial estates for which elevated tanks are an
study has been presented to understand the integral part. These structures have a
behaviour of elevated water tank under wind configuration that is especially vulnerable to
force because these structures have large mass horizontal forces due to the large total mass
concentrated at the top of slender supporting concentrated at the top of slender supporting

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 International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology
structure. Also in Gujarat cyclone it was
observed that the storage tanks were displaced by
few meters and some were overturned due to
wind. They were swept away by the wind. Flying
debris caused dents on the surfaces when they hit
the tanks. So it is important to check the severity
of these forces for particular region.
The study of damage histories revealed
damage/failure of reinforced concrete elevated
water tanks of low to high capacity. Damage of
the important lifeline facility like elevated water
tanks often results in significant hardships even
after the occurrence of the disaster, claiming
human casualties and economic loss to built
environment. Investigating the effects of wind
has been recognized as a necessary step to
understand the natural hazards and its risk to the
society in the long run. Most water supply
systems in developing countries, such as India,
depend on reinforced cement concrete elevated
water tanks. The strength of these tanks against
lateral forces, such as those caused by wind,
needs special attention.
COMPUTATIONAL MODELING
It is very important to analyze reinforced cement
concrete elevated water tank properly against
horizontal forces. The present study has been
planned to check the severity of wind forces with
height and capacity of the elevated water tank in
different zones of India. The analysis is carried
out using SEPL Esr-Gsr software as per IS 875
(Part 3): 1987.
The magnitude of wind force mainly depends on
following factors:
Classification of Structure
The structures are classified into the following
three different classes depending upon their
sizes;
Class A- Structures and/or their components
such as cladding, glazing, roofing, etc, having
maximum dimension (greatest horizontal or
vertical dimension) less than 20m.
Class B- Structures and/or their components
such as cladding, glazing, roofing, etc, having
maximum dimension (greatest horizontal or
vertical dimension) between 20 and 50 m.
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E-ISSN 0976-3945
Class C- Structures and/or their components
such as cladding, glazing, roofing, etc, having
maximum dimension (greatest horizontal or
vertical dimension) greater than 50m.
Terrain Category
There are four terrain categories. Terrain in
which a specific structure stands shall be
assessed as being one of the following terrain
categories:
Category 1- Exposed open terrain with few or no
obstructions and in which the average height of
any object surrounding the structure is less than
1.5 m.
Category 2- Open terrain with well scattered
obstructions having heights generally between
1.5 to 10 m.
Category 3- Terrain with numerous closely
spaced obstructions having the size of structure
up to 10 m in height with or without a few
isolated tall structures.
Category 4- Terrain with numerous large high
closely spaced obstructions.
Wind Speed
Based on basic wind speed, there are six zones,
zone I to zone VI. Basic wind speed shall be
modified to include following effects to get
design wind velocity at height for the chosen
structure;
a) Risk level;
b) Terrain roughness, height and size of
structure; and
c) Local topography.
The design wind speed at any height can be
mathematically expressed as follows:
Vz = Vb x k1 x k2 x k3
Where,
Vz = design wind speed at any height z in m/s;
Vb = basic wind speed in m/sec;
k1= probability factor (risk coefficient);
k2= terrain, height and structure size factor; and
k3= topography factor.
Elevated water tank is considered as an
important structure so for analysis probability
factor (risk coefficient) k1 is taken as given in
table 1 for different zones.
There are four terrain categories as per the code
depending on the obstruction to the wind. From
 International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

the wind zone map of India2 shown in Figure 1 it
is observed that based on basic wind speed, India
is divided into six wind zones i.e. Zone I to zone
VI.
STUDY PARAMETERS
The present study is all about the effect of height
of water tank, zones and terrain category on
magnitude of wind force. The staging heights
considered for study are 12m, 16 m, 20 m, 24 m
and 28 m with 4 m height of each panel. Also, to
see the effect of capacity 50,000 liter and
1,00,000 litre capacity tanks are studied. The
study is carried out on reinforced cement
concrete circular elevated water tanks which are
commonly used in practice in water distribution
system. Grade of concrete and steel used are
M25 and Fe415 respectively. Figure 2 shows the
pictorial view of the sample of 24 models
considered for study of 50,000 liter capacity
reinforced cement concrete elevated water tank
for 12 m staging height. For each staging height
four terrain categories are considered and for
each terrain category six wind zones are
considered. Similar models have been prepared
for 16 m, 20 m, 24 m, and 28 m height. Hence
total one hundred and twenty models are studied
for 50,000 liter capacity reinforced cement
concrete elevated water tank and similar one
hundred and twenty models are studied for
1,00,000 liter capacity reinforced cement
concrete elevated water tank. The other relevant
data used in the modeling is tabulated in table 2.

Figure 1: Wind Zone Map of India2

Table 1: Risk coefficient k1 for structure

Zone Basic wind speed (m/sec) k1 factor
I 33 1.05
II 39 1.06
III 44 1.07
IV 47 1.07
V 50 1.08
VI 55 1.08

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 International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

Table 2: Dimension of Elevated Water Tank Components

Capacity 50,000 liter 1,00,000 liter
Diameter of container 4.65 m 5.89 m
Depth of water in container 3.0 m 4.0 m
Free board 0.3 m 0.3 m
Roof slab 120 mm 140 mm
Bottom slab 200 mm 270 mm
Bottom beam 250 x 600 mm 300 x 700 mm
Wall 200 mm 200 mm
Bracing 300 x 450 mm 250 x 350 mm
column 4 nos.- 450 mm dia. 4 nos.- 500 mm dia
Depth of footing below ground level 2.0 m 3.0 m
c/c distance between column 3.43 m 4.31 m

CAPACITY
50,000 Liter

12 m 16 m 20 m 24 m 28 m

TERRAIN TERRAIN TERRAIN TERRAIN

CATEGORY 1 CATEGORY 2 CATEGORY 3 CATEGORY 4

ZONE
ZONE ZONE ZONE ZONE ZONE ZONE
I III V VI
I II IV

ZONE ZONE ZONE ZONE ZONE ZONE ZONE ZONE ZONE ZONE ZONE ZONE
I II III IV V VI I II III IV V VI

Figure 2: Models for Wind Analysis

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Effect of wind zone on wind forces

Calculation of wind force is a very important
parameter for elevated water tank which is most
susceptible to horizontal forces because of large
mass concentrated at considerable height. The
magnitude of wind force by changing various
parameters has been evaluated and compared for
240 water tanks. The results obtained are shown
in table 3 and table 4.
Graphs are plotted taking wind zone as abscissa
and the wind forces as ordinate for reinforced
cement concrete elevated tanks of 50,000 liter
capacity with different staging heights to study
the effect of wind zone on wind forces. Wind
forces for different staging heights for terrain
category 1, 2, 3 and 4 are shown in Figure 3 to
Figure 6. Wind forces increases with increase in

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basic wind speed i.e. zone. Wind forces for zone
I is about 28-31% less than that of zone II, about
44-47% less than that of zone III, about 51-54%
less than that of zone IV, about 58-60% less than
that of zone V, about 65-66% less than that of
zone VI. Wind forces for zone II is about 21-
23% less than that of zone III, about 31-33% less
than that of zone IV, about 40-42% less than that
of zone V, about 50-52% less than that of zone
VI. Wind forces for zone III is about 12-13%
less than that of zone IV, about 22-24% less than
that of zone V, about 35-38% less than that of
zone VI. Wind forces for zone IV is about 11-14
% less than that of zone V, about 26-29% less
than that of zone VI. Wind forces for zone V is
about 15-18 % less than that of zone VI. Wind
forces increases from wind zone I to VI because
basic wind speed increases from lower to higher
zone because of which risk coefficient k1
increases.
Effect of staging height on wind forces
These observations are also analyzed and shown
in graphical form to study the effect of staging
height on wind forces. Graphs are plotted taking
staging height as abscissa and the wind forces as
ordinate for reinforced cement concrete elevated
tanks of 50,000 liter and 1,00,000 liter capacity.
Wind forces for elevated water tanks of different
staging heights for terrain category 1, 2, 3 and 4
are shown in Figure 7 to Figure 10.
From above graphs it is observed that, wind
forces increases with increase in capacity of
reinforced cement concrete elevated water tanks.
Since exposed area increases with increase in
capacity. Wind forces also increases with
increase in staging height. This is because
exposed area, terrain height and size factor k2
increases with increase in staging height. It is
observed that wind force increases by about 10%
for increase of 4 m in staging height.

Table 3: Wind forces for 50,000 liter capacity reinforced cement concrete elevated water tanks
having different staging height
Staging Class Terrain Wind force (kg)
height category I II III IV V VI
12m A 1 1493.18 2125.43 2756.63 3145.35 3626.55 4388.12
2 1375.94 1958.54 2540.19 2898.38 3341.8 3960.88
3 1142.83 1626.73 2109.83 2407.34 2775.63 3358.51
4 819.83 1143.77 1483.44 1692.62 1951.57 2361.4
16m A 1 1638.75 2332.63 3025.37 3451.98 3980.09 4815.9
2 1489.92 2120.79 2750.62 3138.49 3618.63 4378.55
3 1266.9 1768.92 2294.25 2617.77 3018.25 3652.09
4 804.14 1144.63 1484.56 1693.9 1953.05 2363.19
20m B 1 1828.6 2602.88 3375.87 3851.91 4441.2 5373.85
2 1647.24 2385.94 3094.51 3530.88 4071.06 4840.86
3 1427.3 2031.65 2635 3006.57 3405.52 4120.68
4 957.85 1387.56 1768.32 2017.68 2326.36 2814.89
24m B 1 2019.62 2874.77 3728.51 4254.28 4905.13 5935.2
2 1868.07 2659.06 3448.73 3935.05 4537.05 5489.84
3 1563.27 2225.2 2886.03 3293 3796.78 4594.11
4 1143.88 1628.22 2111.77 2409.55 2778.18 3361.6
28m B 1 2213.25 3150.4 4085.99 4662.17 5375.42 6504.26
2 2060.24 2932.6 3803.52 4339.86 5003.8 6054.6
3 1754.77 2459.74 3190.22 3640.08 4196.97 5078.33
4 1330.44 1925.66 2497.54 2849.72 3231.29 3909.87

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Table 4: Wind forces for 1,00,000 liter capacity reinforced cement concrete elevated water tank
having different staging height
Staging Terrain Wind force (kg)
Class
height category I II III IV V VI
1 2174.23 3094.85 4013.95 4579.97 5280.64 6389.57
2 2001.52 2849.01 3695.01 4216.15 4861.17 5778.23
12m A
3 1682.88 2438.84 3106.84 3544.94 4161.32 5035.19
4 1156.4 1645.05 2134.88 2435.93 2808.59 3398.4
1 2330.92 3317.89 4303.23 4910.04 5661.21 6850.06
2 2122.67 3021.46 3918.76 4471.36 5155.42 6238.05
16m A
3 1788.22 2545.39 3301.31 3766.84 4343.11 5255.16
4 1138.38 1620.62 2101.62 2397.97 2764.83 3345.44
1 2541.7 3617.92 4692.35 5354.03 6173.13 7469.48
2 2340.2 3331.1 4320.36 4929.58 5683.74 6877.33
20m B
3 1999.86 2846.65 3692.04 4212.67 4857.15 5877.15
4 1393.38 1983.36 2572.38 2935.11 3384.15 4094.82
1 2758.01 3925.82 5091.7 5809.69 6698.5 8105.18
2 2565.39 3651.64 4736.09 5403.94 6230.67 7539.11
24m B
3 2187.78 3114.14 4038.97 4608.51 5313.56 6429.4
4 1653.14 2353.12 3051.94 3482.31 4015.05 4858.21
1 2974.96 4234.63 5492.21 6266.68 7255.4 8742.73
2 2780.08 3957.23 5132.44 5856.17 6752.09 8170.03
28m B
3 2377.75 3384.55 4389.69 5008.69 5774.95 6987.69
4 1874.63 2668.4 3460.85 3948.87 4552.99 5509.12

7000

6000

5000 12m
F orces (kg)

4000 16m
20m
3000 24m
2000 28m

1000

0
I II III IV V VI
Zone

Figure 3: Wind forces for terrain category 1

7000

6000

5000 12m
F o rces (kg )

4000 16m
20m
3000 24m
2000 28m

1000

0
I II III IV V VI
Zone

Figure 4: Wind forces for terrain category 2

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 International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

6000

5000
12m
4000

F o rc e s (k g )
16m
3000 20m
24m
2000
28m

1000

0
I II III IV V VI
Zone

Figure 5: Wind forces for terrain category 3

4500
4000
3500
12m
3000
F o rc e s (k g )

16m
2500
20m
2000
24m
1500
28m
1000
500
0
I II III IV V VI
Zone

Figure 6: Wind forces for terrain category 4

50 - I 50 - II 50 - III 50 - IV 50 - V 50 - VI
100 - I 100 -II 100 - III 100 - IV 100 - V 100 - VI

10000

9000

8000

7000

6000
Forces (kg)

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
12 16 20 24 28
Staging height (m)

Figure 7: Wind forces for terrain category 1

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50 - I 50 - II 50 - III 50 - IV 50 - V 50 - VI
100 - I 100 -II 100 - III 100 - IV 100 - V 100 - VI

9000

8000

7000

6000
Forces (kg)

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
12 16 20 24 28
Staging height (m)

Figure 8: Wind forces for terrain category 2

50 - I 50 - II 50 - III 50 - IV 50 - V 50 - VI
100 - I 100 -II 100 - III 100 - IV 100 - V 100 - VI

8000

7000

6000

5000
Forces (kg)

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
12 16 20 24 28
Staging height (m)

Figure 9: Wind forces for terrain category 3

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50 - I 50 - II 50 - III 50 - IV 50 - V 50 - VI
100 - I 100 -II 100 - III 100 - IV 100 - V 100 - VI

6000

5000

4000
Forces (kg)

3000

2000

1000

0
12 16 20 24 28
Staging height (m)

Figure 10: Wind forces for terrain category 4

Effect of obstructions on wind forces Conference on Probabilistic Mechanics and

It is observed that wind forces for wind terrain Structural Reliability, 112(1-5), 2000.
4. Jorge Gutierrez, ‘Wind code evaluation’, Manual
category 1 are most critical among terrain for Wind Design, 2000.
categories 1, 2, 3 and 4. This is because in
category 1, it is exposed open terrain with few or
no obstructions and the average height of any
object surrounding the structure is less than 1.5
m and hence terrain height and size factor k2 is
more for terrain category 1 as compared to
terrain categories 2, 3 and 4. It is observed that
for terrain category 4 where numerous large high
closely spaced obstructions exists the wind force
reduces by 40 to 50% than open terrain where
average height of any object surrounding the
structure is less than 1.5 m.
Present study will be useful to civil engineers to
understand the behaviour of elevated water tank
for various staging height and also to get the feel
of effect of zones and terrain category on wind
forces.
REFERENCES
1. www.nicee.org
2. IS: 875 (Part3): 1987, ‘Code of practice for
design loads (other than earthquake) for buildings
and structures’, BIS, New Delhi, 1989.
3. B. Tansel, and N. Ahmed, “Structural stability of
elevated water reservoirs under hurricane force
wind conditions”, 8th ASCE Specialty

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