海角社区 CEE Professor Researches Above-Ground Storage Tank Flooding
October 25, 2021
BATON ROUGE, LA 鈥� For years, above-ground storage tanks (ASTs) have been used by petrochemical
companies to store large volumes of hazardous substances. Though ASTs are less expensive
than underground tanks and installation is less costly, they still pose a threat to
the surrounding environment due to leakage and spills.
Hoping to eliminate the spillage and leakage problem, 海角社区 Civil and Environmental Engineering Assistant Professor Sabarethinam Kameshwar is researching how to model and quantify the flood performance of ASTs, specifically for some of the most common modes of failure like flotation and sliding damage, bottom plate failure, and debris impact.
鈥淭he results from the proposed research will provide new knowledge of failure mechanisms of ASTs and insights on relative likelihood of different damage modes of ASTs during floods,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his knowledge will help reduce AST failures, which will protect the surrounding environment and communities from harmful chemical spills.鈥�
Kameshwar says that the environment and communities are endangered because many petrochemical facilities are in close proximity to water bodies such as rivers, which makes them susceptible to flooding. Businesses would benefit from Kameshwar鈥檚 research because the consequences of having an AST leak or flood are great. For instance, the company might need to pay a fine and would more than likely need to implement a remediation plan, not to mention the cost of repairs or even total replacement of the tank. This means lost productivity, which equates to lost sales.
Not only will Kameshwar鈥檚 research help companies, it will also put 海角社区 graduates in the field to help.
鈥淭his research will involve undergraduate students and will lead to workforce development in natural hazards mitigation for industrial infrastructure,鈥� he said.
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