Preliminary numerical modelling of a pipe-to-tank connections experimental campaign

Damage occurred during past seismic events in industrial facilities pointed out the vulnerability of pipe-to-tank connections with the consequent loss of functionality of industrial plants as well as the release of hazardous substances. The observed damages are mainly due to the relative displacements between pipes and storage tanks because of their significant differences in terms of dynamic properties. In industrial facilities dealing with hazardous substances, even the smallest crack could release toxic containment, posing serious threats to both the environment and human lives. This highlights the need to further investigate the seismic response of pipe-to-tank connections to reduce the risk of major accidents following a seismic event. This paper presents and discusses the results of preliminary finite element models of pipe-to-tank connections under monotonic and cyclic loading in three different loading conditions. The models are developed to predict the experimental hysteretic responses of pipe-totank connections that will be tested as part of an experimental campaign carried out at the University of Salento in the framework of the MITPLANT project funded by National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work. Once validated through the experimental results, the numerical models will be useful for investigating the seismic vulnerability of complex piping networks in industrial facilities as well as for optimising the design of possible retrofit solutions.