Open Access

ARTICLE

Influence Mechanism of Liquid Level on Oil Tank Structures and Damage Risk Prevention Based on Shell Theory

Si-Kai Wang¹, Ti-Cai Wang¹, Di-Fei Yi², Jia Rui³, Peng-Fei Cao⁴, Hua-Ping Wang^1,5,*

1 School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
2 CNOOC (Chongqing) Safety Equipment Company Limited, Chongqing, 408399, China
3 Gansu Institute of Urban and Rural Planning and Design Institute Co., Ltd., Lanzhou, 730000, China
4 School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
5 Key Laboratory of Mechanics on Disaster and Environment in Western China, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China

* Corresponding Author: Hua-Ping Wang. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Smart Sensors and Smart CFRP Components for Structural Health Monitoring of Aerospace, Energy and Transportation Structures)

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring 2025, 19(6), 1411-1432. https://doi.org/10.32604/sdhm.2025.070034

Received 06 July 2025; Accepted 01 September 2025; Issue published 17 November 2025

Abstract

As a key storage facility, the structural safety of large oil tanks is directly related to the stable operation of the energy system. The static pressure caused by the change of liquid level is one of the main loads in the service process of storage tanks, which determines the structural deformation and damage risk. To explore the structural deformation properties under the change of liquid levels and provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of damage risk, this paper systematically analyzes the mechanical response of storage tanks under the pressures induced by different liquid levels based on the shell theory. Combined with the finite element software COMSOL, the radial displacement and stress-strain distribution under different liquid levels are simulated to verify the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed theoretical model. The increase in liquid level and radius aggravates the radial deformation and makes the risk point move up, while the increase in wall thickness can effectively reduce the deformation response. Suggestions on the monitoring zone and damage risk prevention measures have also been given to instruct the safe operation of oil tanks. The research provides theoretical support for the optimization design of storage tank structures, the construction of advanced structural health monitoring system and the prevention and control of damage risk.

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