Mitigation of liquid sloshing in storage tanks by using a hybrid control method

In this study, a hybrid method, which simultaneously adjusts structural mass, stiffness, and damping, is proposed to reduce the sloshing of cylindrical tanks under ground motions induced by earthquakes. For this purpose, a viscous mass damper (VMD) is used with a rubber bearing to develop the hybrid control system. Modal and time history analyses are conducted for tanks by using the proposed method. In addition, parametric studies are conducted to investigate the effects of aspect ratio, mass, and damping of the VMD. It is observed that the sloshing heights of the liquid, base shears, and overturning moments of the tanks are reduced through the application of the proposed method. For both slender and broad tanks, the sloshing heights are controlled and the sloshing height can be reduced more in a broad tank. Additionally, a larger equivalent mass of the VMD can help in reducing the sloshing height.