Buncefield fire & bund failure - other known cases?

[JOM]

The second investiagation report into the Buncefield, UK, storage facility fire revealed that there was significant failure of bunding around tanks.

Three types of bund failure occurred:-

1. loss of sealant between concrete panels from fire and hydraulic forces

2. loss of sealant around bund pipe penetrations by same forces

3. physical movement of bund panels

Is this a surprise?

What experience is there of bund performance under real tank failure?

Are bunds tested? Perhaps not every installation, but "type tested"?

Anyone had experience of bund failure or bund success?

Are bunds a "paper tiger"?

Regards,
John.


J.

 

[cawse001]

A quick search of the IChemE Loss Prevention Bulletin turned up a number of articles about bund failure, including Buncefield.

http://www.icheme.org/shop/mainframeset.asp?/../shop/../lpb/textframe.asp

NB

 

[sethoflagos]

On the other hand, Chevron Nigeria lost a 400,000 bbl crude oil tank to lightning a couple of years ago, but the bund did its job.

Which was sort of good news for the other eleven tanks.