Storage Tank Height

The attached file is very interesting for design calculation of Seismic Design & Overturning Moment of storage tanks as per API 650: Tank_Design_Calculations.

4000 cubic metres of water!

Any alterations to this tank (if it's possible at all) need to be carried out by a qualified professional engineer with appropriate experience and liability insurance.

At best you could ruin the tank, at worst kill someone.

The original design must be followed and modifications done correctly - agreed.

This (at least where I have worked) has nothing to do with a PE - just plain old mechanical engineering.

Most of the world doesn't have to worry about the shysters and insurance like in the US either.

The warning at the end makes someone feel good maybe? Serves no other purpose as anyone with a lick of sense understands it has to be done correctly.

Except structures subject to seismic and wind loads in many jurisdiction could require a PE stamp (mechanical engineers are licensed PEs also). In addition, the seismic and wind load calculations are jurisdiction and location specific. Some Jurisdictions however, Turkey probably being one, do not have the sophistication of others with regardis to the licensure requirements (even many states in the midwest or especially south in the US).

Not talking about Turkey - never worked here - many other places in the world.

The US only compromises a small part of the world by the way. Most places don't have the legal requirements and restrictions - funny thing is that they seem to get along fairly well.

Could require a stamp from Santa Claus as well though I never ran into that problem.

Fairly well is subjective and relative i guess. However, some of those places that were getting along fairly well frequently have sudden surprises when they discover they weren't really prepared for that earthquake or the slightly higher than typical wind velocities from a tropical storm (or in some jurisdiction the wind velocities turn out to be not all that atypical, but the jurisdiction is corrupt). It is really dependent on the Jrisdiction. In the majority of 1st world countries (not just the US, but Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, India, Pakistan, even England and South Africa), they would have licensure requirements, and some jurisdictions enforce those requirements. Obviously, if someone who is in the mechanical engineering field post a question about the wind loading and seismic loading on a structure, there must be some local requirements to address those, and frequently these are the purview of Civil-structural engineers. Jurisdictions usually want licensure attqched to any designs of critical structures (those that could pose a significant hazard to the public health and welfare if they fail), or structures being built in areas of high wind or seismic load risk. Of course, as always, there is the level of corruption in the governance and the cost of such requirements that create a political impetus agaisnt such regulation, so the regulation may not exist in some jurisdictions, regulation/code enforcement may be lacking or overlooked, loopholes may exist that sufficient money can purchase for developers, etc..

Every country I have ever worked, the engineering takes into account all the factors you mentioned and more. Fairly well means they are thriving - more so than the US at present.

You have no idea of some of the countries you mentioned as a couple are ones I am talking about and know well.

What idiot does not take into account relevant wind loading or seismic conditions on a structure? I am sure there are some but there are idiots the world around!

It is not a question of corruption or capability, a PE stamp has no special meaning in much of the world and certainly no guarantees outside of the 'advanced' court systems such as the US has. Please note that 'advanced' is meant in a most sarcastic manner.

Hmm, and thriving is also subjective and relative so it is hard to determine what is meant there again. Obviously it is not a gross national product or other quantifiable measure, because that would only leave China as even close. So maybe some other form of product buying power to wage earnings. Maybe average annual wages per capita or maybe per capita hourly wages. What exactly is thiving? I guess you could base it solely on unemployment, which would be silly if the employment rate was high in a country but the wages and buying power was really low. It is hard to evaluate what you define as thriving without a quantifiable basis.

As far as the PE goes, well it is not necessary except where required by the jurisdiction. Frequently it has nothing to do with the courts at all but the regulators who review and permit plans. Only very infrequently in the US do you ever see engineering go to legal prosecution, sometimes you see lawsuits over meeting terms of a contract, but doesn't matter who you are if you fail to provide contractual obligations. What you do see is regulators wanting the stamp on documents to demonstratea person with a minimum level of qualification the jurisdiction feels is reasonable has taken responsible charge for a design.

FYI most mechanical engineers do not practice in a manner that requires them to consider wind loads or seismic, that is frequently left to structural engineers. Additionally there are the chemical engineers who frequently aren't even aware of how to perform these structural calculation, since they fall under various codes.

Thriving means good growth rate for one thing.

Excessive wages are one of the reasons the US & Europe are in the mess we see today. Good pay for good work is called for. Excessive pay for labor jobs (many of the auto workers positions for example) drives business away.

Fortunately or unfortunately most of the world is not so hung up on regulators as the US & Europe.

Quote: 'FYI most mechanical engineers do not practice in a manner that requires them to consider wind loads or seismic' - Possibly this could be nominated for the 'meaningless statement of the day'!

If an engineer is fool enough to work out of his/her discipline without necessary supervision and makes a hash out of it capital punishment is in order.

Increasing the tank height (and hence head pressure) may exceed the relatively simple pressure rating of the existing tank, even before taking into account the seismic and wind conditions. Whether a PE undertakes the calculations, someone ought to do so.