Experimental research on destruction mechanism of large-scale floating-roof oil tank under blast loading

To explore the dynamic response of a super-large oil tank affected by gaseous mixture explosion, impact experiments were conducted on floating-roof oil-tank models impacted by steady blast wave, which was induced by the reaction of acetylene/air mixtures propagating along a pipe, in inflammable mixture detonation facilities. The overpressure load, dynamic strain and vibration acceleration histories were measured at the walls of the oil-tank models. The destruction mechanisms of the large-scale floating-roof oil tank under blast loading were analyzed. In the deformation process of the tank structure subjected to inflammable gas explosion, the inner liquid is induced to generate compressive wave to intensively collide with the wall of the tank, the back wall pressure transmitted by liquid collision is in the same order of magnitude with the blast wave pressure on the front, but the actuation time of the former is longer. Meanwhile, the top of the oil-tank inner wall on the blast side is in tensile state, encounters the maximum tensile strain, and has the weakest resistance to explosion and blast loading for the whole structure.