1.

Introduction
o Purpose and Scope of the Report
o Types of Water Tanks: Shape (Cylindrical,
Rectangular) and Location (On Ground,
Underground, Elevated)
o Introduction to the Working Stress Method (as
the governing design philosophy)
o Types of tanks and shape

2. Design of Cylindrical Tanks Resting on

Ground
o Flexible Base Tank: Step-by-step procedure
for hoop tension design, wall thickness
determination, and vertical reinforcement.
o Design Example: Summary of a cylindrical
tank design (e.g., 500 m³ capacity).
3. Reinforcement Detailing and
Specifications
o Selection of bar diameter and spacing.
o Minimum and maximum reinforcement
requirements.

1
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Purpose and Scope of the Report
This report presents the structural analysis and design of reinforced concrete water tanks in accordance
with American design standards, focusing on engineering principles, code compliance, and practical
application. Water tanks are critical infrastructure components used for storage and distribution in
municipal water systems, industrial facilities, fire protection systems, and agricultural applications. The
primary objective of this report is to document the
systematic design approach for both cylindrical and
rectangular reinforced concrete water tanks,
addressing key considerations such as liquid
containment, structural integrity, durability, and
serviceability.

The scope encompasses the design of ground-

supported and underground tanks, covering
hydrostatic pressure analysis, reinforcement design,
crack control, uplift stability, and detailing
requirements. While the fundamental engineering
principles of fluid mechanics and structural analysis
remain consistent, this report emphasizes the
transition from traditional working stress
methodology to modern strength-based design
approaches as prescribed by current American
codes.

1.2 Significance of Water Tank Design

The design of water-containing structures presents unique engineering challenges that
distinguish them from conventional building structures. These challenges include:

 Containment Reliability: Absolute prevention of leakage is paramount, requiring

special attention to crack control and joint design.

2
  Durability in Aggressive Environments: Continuous exposure to water and
potentially corrosive elements necessitates enhanced material specifications and
protective measures.

 Hydrostatic Loading: Unique pressure distribution that increases linearly with

depth requires specialized analysis methods.

 Sanitary Requirements: Maintenance of

water quality imposes restrictions on materials
and construction methods.

Types of Reinforced Concrete

Water Tanks: Uses &
Differences

A. Cylindrical Tanks
 Use: Most common for medium/large
capacities (1,000–10,000 m³)
 Best for: Municipal water storage,
industrial reservoirs, fire protection
 Why: Circular shape resists internal
pressure efficiently through hoop
tension
 Key Feature: Economical steel use due
to uniform stress distribution

B. Underground Tanks
 Use: Space-saving, thermal stability, landscape preservation
 Special Requirement: Must resist both internal water pressure AND
external soil pressure
 Key Consideration: Uplift prevention and waterproofing

3
2 design of RC cylindrical Water Tank – (Flexible Base on
Ground)

4
5
 Es
n= Ec

6
 Reinforcement Selection Criteria

Bar Diameter Guidelines

Location Recommended Reason
Diameter

Main horizontal bars (ring 10–16 mm Smaller bars better for crack
tension) control

Main vertical bars 12–20 mm Moderate size for constructability

(bending)

Distribution bars 8–12 mm Smaller bars adequate for

shrinkage control

Corner bars 12–16 mm Need strength for stress

concentration

Spacing Rules

Minimum spacing:
Largest of:

 Bar diameter

 25 mm (1 in)

 1.33 × maximum aggregate size

Maximum spacing:
Smallest of:

 3 × wall thickness (ACI 350)

 300 mm (12 in) for main reinforcement

 450 mm (18 in) for temperature/shrinkage reinforcement

Minimum Reinforcement Requirements (ACI 350)

For Walls:

Each direction, each face:

A s ,min ⁡=0.003 ×b × h

Where:

 b = 1000 mm (per meter width)

 h = wall thickness (mm)

Example for 250 mm thick wall:

7
 2
A s ,min ⁡=0.003 ×1000 ×250=750 mm /m per face

For each direction, total both faces:

2
A s ,min ⁡,total =0.006 × b ×h=1500 mm /m

For Base Slabs:

 Bottom reinforcement: A s ,min ⁡=0.0020 ×b × h

 Top reinforcement: A s ,min ⁡=0.0018 ×b × h

Maximum Reinforcement Requirements

Based on Crack Control:

Maximum bar spacing for crack control:

95000
smax = −2.5 c c (in mm)
γs f s

Where:

 γ s = 1.0 for interior exposure, 0.75 for exterior

 f s = service load steel stress (MPa)

 c c = clear cover (mm)

Simplified rule for water tanks:

 Exposed surfaces: smax ≤ 200 mm for severe exposure

 Buried surfaces: smax ≤ 300 mm

Based on Concrete Placement:

 Maximum bar size: ∅ ≤ t /8 (wall thickness)

 Minimum clear spacing: 25 mm for proper vibration

special Requirements for Water Tanks

Crack Width Limitation (ACI 350):

 Exposed to moist environment: w max =0.10 mm

 Buried or concealed: w max =0.15 mm

 Non-potable water: w max =0.20 mm

To achieve crack control:

8
 1. Use smaller diameter bars (10–12 mm preferred)

2. Reduce spacing (100–150 mm typical)

3. Increase concrete cover (40–50 mm minimum)

4. Use moderate steel stress ( f s ≤0.6 f y )

Two-Layer Reinforcement:

Required for walls > 200 mm thick:

 Inner layer: Primary reinforcement

 Outer layer: Temperature/shrinkage + crack control

 Tie both layers with tie wires or spacers

Development Length & Splicing

Tension Development Length (ACI 318):

f y ψt ψe ∅
ld = but not less than 300 mm
1.1 λ √ f c b + K tr
'
c

For water tanks, use:

 ψ t =1.3 (top bars)

 ψ e =1.0 (uncoated)

 λ=1.0 (normal weight)

Simplified minimums:

 Ø10 bars: l d =450 mm

 Ø12 bars: l d =540 mm

 Ø16 bars: l d =720 mm

 Ø20 bars: l d =900 mm

Splicing Requirements:

 Avoid splices in high tension zones

 Stagger splices by ≥ 1.3 × development length

 Use Class B splices in tension zones

 No splices at corners or openings

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6.0 Corner Reinforcement Details

Wall-to-Wall Corners:

Additional diagonal bars:

 Size: Same as main reinforcement

 Length: 2 × development length from corner

 Placement: Inside the corner, both directions

Corner mesh reinforcement:

 Extend 600 mm from corner each way

 Ø8–Ø10 bars @ 150 mm c/c both directions

Wall-to-Base Corners:

Haunch reinforcement:

 Diagonal bars: Ø12–Ø16 @ 150 mm

 Horizontal ties: Ø10 @ 200 mm

 Extend: 600–800 mm each way from corner

Concrete Cover Requirements

Minimum Cover (ACI 350):

EXPOSURE MINIMUM COVER

CONDITION (MM)

CAST AGAINST EARTH 75

EXPOSED TO 50
WEATHER

NOT EXPOSED TO 40
WEATHER

BURIED IN EARTH 75

CONTACT WITH 50
WATER

8.0 Practical Detailing Guidelines

1
Bar Placement Sequence

1. Place outer layer vertical bars

2. Place inner layer vertical bars

3. Install horizontal bars (both layers)

4. Install corner reinforcement

5. Install ties and spacers

6. Final check before concreting

Spacer Requirements

 Type: Plastic or cement mortar

 Spacing: Every 1.0 m² minimum

 Position: At intersections of bars

 Capacity: Must withstand concrete placement

Design of a Reinforced Concrete Cylindrical Tank (ACI 350

Approach)
Project Example: 500 m³ Ground-Supported Cylindrical Water Tank

1
2.0 Preliminary Sizing
Step 1: Determine Tank Diameter

1
 V=
π 2
4
π 2
4 √
D H500= D (4.0) D= 500 ×4 =√ 636.62=12.63 m
π

Use: D=13.0 m
Step 2: Initial Wall Thickness Estimation
Per ACI 350 and practical experience:
 Minimum thickness for constructability: 200 mm
 For fixed base, additional thickness for moment resistance
 Preliminary estimate: t=250 mm
3.0 Load Analysis
Step 3: Hydrostatic Pressure Distribution
p=γ w h

Where h = depth from water surface (m)

At base (h=4.0 m ):
2
pmax =10× 4.0=40 kN/m

Step 4: Factored Loads for Strength Design

2
pu=1.4 ×40=56 kN/m (at base)

4.0 Ring Tension (Hoop Force) Design

Step 5: Calculate Ring Tension
For cylindrical tank with fixed base, ring tension varies with height.
Maximum ring tension occurs at approximately 0.6H from top for fixed base
tanks.
T=p×R

Where R=D/2=6.5 m
At h=2.4 m (0.6H):

p=10 × 2.4=24 kN/m T =24 × 6.5=156 kN/m

2

Factored ring tension:

1
 T u=1.4 ×156=218.4 kN/m

Step 6: Reinforcement for Ring Tension

Required steel area per meter height:
Tu 218.4 ×10
3
2
A s= A s= =578 mm /m
φf y 0.9 × 420

Check minimum reinforcement (ACI 350):

2
A s ,min ⁡=0.0033 ×1000 ×250=825 mm /m

Governs: Use A s=825 mm2 /m

Step 7: Select Reinforcement
Try Ø12 mm bars ( Ab =113 mm2)
Ab ×1000 113 × 1000
Spacing= = =137 mm
As 825

Use: Ø12 @ 135 mm c/c horizontally (two layers, inner and outer)
5.0 Vertical Moment Design (Fixed Base)
Step 8: Determine Base Moment
For fixed-base cylindrical tank, maximum vertical moment at base:
3
M =C × γ w × H

Where C = coefficient from tank design tables

For H 2 /( Dt )=4 2 /(13 ×0.25)=4.92, coefficient C ≈ 0.01
3
M =0.01 ×10 × 4 =¿

Factored moment:
M u=1.4 × 6.4=8.96

Step 9: Vertical Reinforcement Design

Assume cover = 40 mm (exposure to water)
d=250−40−12/2=204 mm

Required reinforcement:
Mu As f y
A s= where a=
φ f y (d−a /2) '
0.85 f c b
1
Solve iteratively:
First iteration (assume a=20 mm):
6
8.96 ×10 2
A s= =123 mm /m
0.9× 420 ×(204−10)

123 × 420
Check a= 0.85× 28 ×1000 =2.2 mm

Second iteration:
6
8.96 ×10 2
A s= =124 mm /m
0.9× 420 ×(204−1.1)

Check minimum:
2
A s ,min ⁡=0.0033 ×1000 ×250=825 mm /m

Governs: Use A s=825 mm2 /m

Step 10: Select Vertical Reinforcement
Try Ø12 mm bars ( Ab =113 mm2):
113 × 1000
Spacing= =137 mm
825

Use: Ø12 @ 135 mm c/c vertically (inner face for tension at base)
7.0 Crack Width Check (ACI 350 Requirement)
Step 13: Check Crack Width for Ring Tension
Service load ring tension at 2.4 m depth:
T s=156 kN/m

Steel stress at service:

T s 156 ×10 3
f s= = =189 MPa
As 825

Step 14: Calculate Crack Width (ACI 318/350)

w=0.076 β f s √ d c A × 10
3 −3

Where:
 β=1.2 (distance from neutral axis)

1
  d c =40+12/2=46 mm
2
 A=2× d c × s=2 × 46 ×135=12,420 mm

w=0.076 × 1.2× 189× √ 46 ×12420 ×10 w=0.076 × 1.2× 189× 83.5 ×10−3=1.44 mm
3 −3

This exceeds ACI 350 limit of 0.10 mm!

Step 15: Adjust Reinforcement for Crack Control
To reduce crack width, either:
1. Reduce bar spacing
2. Use smaller diameter bars
3. Increase steel area
Try Ø10 mm @ 75 mm c/c:
3
78.5× 1000
=1047 mm /m f s= 156 ×10 =149 MPa A=2× 45 ×75=6,750 mm2
2
A s=
75 1047
w=0.076 × 1.2× 149× √ 45 ×6750 ×10 =0.95 mmBetter but still > 0.10 mm
3 −3

Final horizontal reinforcement: Ø10 mm @ 50 mm c/c (two layers)

1
 2
A s=1570 mm /m , f s=99.4 MPa w=0.076 × 1.2× 99.4 × √3 45× 4500 ×10−3=0.13 mmAcceptable