the pressure distribution on the rectangular and trapezoidal storage tanks' perimeters due to liquid sloshing phenomenon

Abstract

Sloshing phenomenon is a complicated free surface flow problem that increases the dynamic pressure on the sidewalls and the bottom of the storage tanks. When the storage tanks are partially filled, it is essential to be able to evaluate the fluid dynamic loads on the tank's perimeter. In this paper, a numerical code was developed to determine the pressure distribution on the rectangular and trapezoidal storage tanks' perimeters due to liquid sloshing phenomenon. Assuming the fluid to be inviscid, the Laplace equation and the nonlinear free surface boundary conditions were solved using coupled boundary element – finite element method. The code performance for sloshing modeling was validated using Nakayama and Washizu's results. Finally, this code was used for partially filled rectangular and trapezoidal storage tanks and free surface displacement, pressure distribution and horizontal and vertical forces exerted on the tanks' perimeters due to liquid sloshing phenomenon were estimated and discussed.