hydro-load test of pile supported storage tanks

[abih]

I can really take some input from this group. I have a tank farm project consisting of different sized aboveground storage tanks (AST). Since the surface 20+ feet of the site (south of Houston) is very compressible soils, I am recommending pile supported foundations either drilled shafts or augercast.

I know per API-650, we run hydro-load tests for ASTs as I did for my previous projects. However, I wondered this time if hydro-load tests should be recommended from a geotechnical perspective? Settlement is expected to be tiny. Of course the tests can also help on integrity problems etc.

 

[BigHarvey]

You couls use a rigid inclusion network plus distribution mattress instead of piles, it's generally a lot more economical. Very often hydro-load tests are carried out to check the steel structure and the geotechs take that opportunity to check the settlement. On piles from a geotechnical point of view it's not necessary, for rigid inclusions it would help.

 

[BigH]

I'd ask how big are the tanks - diameter? Any details on the 20ft+ soil?

 

[abih]

The tanks are 50 feet in diameter. For the upper 20 feet of soils, we see WOH and pen readings up to 0.2 tsf.