Innovative floating hybrid baffles for improved performance of liquid storage tanks under seismic excitations

Abstract

Liquid storage tanks (LSTs) are highly susceptible to sloshing under dynamic motion, which can compromise their structural stability. This study introduces novel floating wooden and hybrid baffles with a rubber-encased wooden core, offering enhanced energy dissipation and durability. Unlike fixed baffles, their floating design allows for adaptation to changes in liquid levels. Numerical simulations were conducted using ABAQUS to evaluate the performance of these baffles in reducing sloshing-induced responses. The LST, with and without baffles, was subjected to Imperial Valley and Northridge ground motions. Three baffle configurations with varying widths were analyzed for reducing liquid sloshing, hydrodynamic pressures, and enhancing energy dissipation at different liquid depths. The results indicate that the medium-width hybrid baffles reduce the sloshing heights by 51% while maintaining sufficient fluid flow. Hybrid baffles significantly reduced convective pressures by 57% and showed superior energy dissipation than wooden baffles. These findings confirm their effectiveness in controlling liquid sloshing. © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.