Calculation model of overburden pressure of large diameter mounded storage tanks under different overburden slope angles
Zheng Nie, Yu Zhang*, Shengjie Di, Chongqun Gao, Jiawei Lu, Jiajun Liu
Deep Resources Engineering. 2026, 3(3): 100205. 
doi.org10.1016j.deepre.2025.100205.pdf
Abstract: Hazardous chemical horizontal tanks are widely used owing to their reliable storage capacity. To guarantee the safety and concealment of horizontal tanks, overburden is used to achieve effective isolation from adjacent heat sources, explosive shock waves or other unexpected damage. However, due to the large diameter of the mounded horizontal tanks, the earth pressure caused by different slope angles has a significant impact on the safety and stability of the tanks, and the earth pressure distribution and loads are different from the existing theoretical calculations, limitations of the earth pressure calculation method exist. In this paper, the “cat-ear” model and the “parabolic” model were established on the basis of Marston’s theory, considering the factors of large diameter and different slopes. The model calculation results were compared and verified with the finite element results, and the parameter sensitivity analysis was carried out. The model can cover a variety of overburden heights and tank diameters in the case of earth pressure calculation, with high calculation accuracy and applicability, and can provide a reference for the structural design of overburden storage tanks and the formulation of specifications.
Highlights:
• Based on Marston’s theory, the “cat-ear” and “parabolic” earth pressure calculation models are established.
• The accuracy of the established models is verified by finite element results.
• The established model can provide a reference for the structural design of covered storage tanks.
Keywords: Large diameter mounded horizontal tanks; Covered with soil; Earth pressure; Improvement of the Marston model; Slope angle
Cite: Nie, Z.; Zhang, Y.; Di, S.J.; Gao, C.Q.; Lu, J.W.; Liu, J.J., Calculation model of overburden pressure of large diameter mounded storage tanks under different overburden slope angles, Deep Resources Engineering 2026, 3 (3), 100205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.deepre.2025.100205
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