KEVOS® MAKEOS · Strength
Tank Wall Panel under Liquid Pressure (Force, Plate Stress, Deflection)
What liquid pressure and force act on this flat tank wall, and is a panel between stiffeners thick enough in stress and deflection?
Check of a flat-walled (rectangular) tank: pressure at the bottom, the resultant force on the wall and its centre of pressure (as the hydrostatic force tool), and a rectangular panel between stiffeners treated as simply supported under the bottom pressure (conservative), with its bending stress and centre deflection (as the rectangular plate tool), the thickness needed for the allowable stress, and checks against the allowable stress and deflection limit.
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How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid depth | m | Depth of liquid above the tank floor. |
| Liquid density | kg/m³ | Density of the liquid. |
| Wall width | m | Width of the wall. |
| Gas pressure above the liquid | kPa | Gas or vapour pressure above the liquid (0 for an open tank). |
| Panel long side (between stiffeners) | mm | Longer side of the panel between stiffeners. |
| Panel short side | mm | Shorter side of the panel. |
| Plate thickness | mm | Plate thickness (after corrosion allowance). |
| Elastic modulus | GPa | Elastic modulus of the plate. |
| Allowable bending stress | MPa | Allowable bending stress in the plate (your design value). |
| Largest panel deflection | mm | Largest deflection you accept at the panel centre. |
Method and formulas
- Bottom pressure p = p_s + ρ g h; wall force = ρ g w h² ÷ 2 + p_s w h; centre of pressure from the floor (as the hydrostatic force tool).
- Simply supported rectangular panel under uniform pressure p: σ = 0.75 W ÷ [t² (L ÷ l + 1.61 l² ÷ L²)]; deflection = 0.1422 W ÷ [E t³ (L ÷ l³ + 2.21 ÷ L²)], W = p L l (as the rectangular plate tool).
- Thickness for the allowable: t = √{0.75 W ÷ [σ_allow (L ÷ l + 1.61 l² ÷ L²)]}.
- Example: 2 m of liquid gives 19.613 kPa at the floor; a 1000 × 600 mm panel of 7 mm plate runs at 80.187 MPa and deflects 3.5665 mm.
Limitations
- The bottom pressure is applied to the whole panel (conservative for upper panels).
- Stiffeners, corners and floor joints need their own design.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- Size the plate of a rectangular water or chemical tank
- Choose stiffener spacing for a tank wall
- Check an existing tank for a heavier liquid
Who it is for
- Structural engineers
- Fabrication supervisors
- Plant engineers
What you get
- Bottom pressure, wall force and centre of pressure
- Panel stress and deflection
- Thickness needed and checks
Interpreting the result
- Halving the short side of the panel cuts the stress roughly four times: closer stiffeners save plate.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 3024–3027, 288–290. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
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Open the Tank Wall Panel under Liquid Pressure (Force, Plate Stress, Deflection) calculator
