INFLUENCE OF CRACKS ON THE STRUCTURAL STABILITY OF CYLINDRICAL STEEL EQUALIZATION TANKS

Abstract

Above-ground cylindrical steel tanks are indispensable assets in water and wastewater infrastructure. In equalization services, they buffer diurnal and industrial inflow variability, dampen “shock” pollutant loads, and stabilize downstream treatment functions, consistently shown to improve effluent quality and operational resilience [1]. Even when tanks are designed and operated within code provisions, long-term performance depends on how structural demand interacts with the service environment and maintenance practices. The technical literature documents characteristic failure modes – loss of containment by corrosion induced wall thinning, local joint distress, and roof/shell instabilities – through forensic case studies that combine inspection, measurement, and finite-element analysis to reconstruct the damage sequence and define preventive measures [2]. Wastewater headspaces and wetted zones present particularly aggressive conditions for carbon and stainless steels due to variable pH, dissolved sulfides, chlorides, and microbiologically influenced corrosion. Recent reviews emphasize corrosion monitoring and mitigation as central to lifecycle reliability of storage and process tanks in treatment facilities [3]. Within this broader context, this study focuses on durability-oriented design, inspection, and risk informed maintenance programs for tanks operating in wastewater service, drawing on established roles of equalization, observed failure mechanisms, and evidence from prior research and case histories.