Failure analysis of the collapse of a raised steel wine tank. (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ivorra, Salvador; Torres, Benjamín; Estevan, Luis; Manuel Piqueras, José
• Is Part Of: Engineering failure analysis. Volume 142(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: Progressive collapse -- Steel structure -- Structural robustness -- Cyclic loading -- Forensic engineering; System failures (Engineering) -- Periodicals; Fracture mechanics -- Periodicals; Reliability (Engineering) -- Periodicals; Pannes -- Périodiques; Rupture, Mécanique de la -- Périodiques; Fiabilité -- Périodiques; Fracture mechanics; Reliability (Engineering); System failures (Engineering); Periodicals; Electronic journals; 620.112
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2022.106767
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-6307

Abstract

Highlights: A real case of collapse of a 106 m 3 steel raised wine tank has been studied. Tensile and NDT were performed to evaluate mechanical and chemical properties. A FEM was analysed to identify the vulnerability against horizontal loads. The collapse mechanism was found to be due to cyclic horizontal loads. A corrective measure has been proposed to increase the structures' robustness. Abstract: As structural damage or even catastrophic collapses are sometimes due to improper design, underestimated design loads or unexpectedly extreme loads, progressive collapse and structural robustness has recently received a great deal of attention, while the number of scientific papers published on the topic has grown considerably. This paper describes an analysis of the failure of a 106 m 3 steel raised wine tank belonging to a local wine producer that suddenly collapsed, fortunately without personal injury, but causing significant damage to the company's facilities. The collapse generated the progressive failure of other tanks next to the first one that failed. After several visits to inspect the accident on site, a diagnosis was made to determine the causes. Possible reasons were examined by visual inspections and experimental tests on steel specimens recovered from the collapsed structures, which allowed to determine the mechanical properties and study the fracture surfaces by scanning electron microscopy and micrographs. On the other hand, the load-carrying capacities of the structure were studied by a linear-static finite-element and a nonlinear-static push-over analysis. The collapse mechanism of the system was found to be due to cyclic horizontal loads generated by a pressurized air injection system. The results allowed to conclude that this type of structure is highly vulnerable to horizontal loads and has very little capacity to activate alternative loas paths. The paper also describes a possible solution that could be used to improve the mechanical performance of this structural typology against horizontal loading, based on the lessons learned from the experience.