Abstract

SIMBANA, Isaac; VACA, Xavier; ANDRADE, Cristian  and  SEVILLANO, Wendy. Computational numerical analysis of the support structure for a rainwater storage tank. Novasinergia [online]. 2025, vol.8, n.1, pp.6-18.  Epub Jan 08, 2025. ISSN 2631-2654.  https://doi.org/10.37135/ns.01.15.04.

: This study has examined the design proposal for a support structure for a rainwater storage tank, utilizing CAD/CAE software with computational numerical analysis. These tools predict how elements will behave under specific conditions without physical construction. The necessity arises from the importance of developing the entire rainwater harvesting system to offer a sustainable water supply alternative. To this end, a storage capacity of 500 liters was determined based on locally available plastic tanks, considering the dimensions and weight the structure needs to support. 3D modeling utilized a 50 mm (2 in) square steel pipe discretized through meshing. Validation of this process achieved a skewness of 0.2401 with 414 651 elements and 601 334 nodes, defining the corresponding initial and boundary conditions. Von Mises stress measured 189.5 MPa, below the yield limit for structural steel, with structural element deformation not exceeding 0.83 mm. Design validation was accomplished through safety factor analysis, yielding a value of 1.746, closely aligning with recommended values for support structures.

Keywords : Rainwater; Numerical analysis; CAD/CAE; Stress; Support structure.

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