Prerequisites

It is assumed that the user is familiar with the basic principles of modelling and specifying material parameters in AquaEdit, as well as conducting analyses. If you are looking for an introduction to AquaSim we advise you to start with the Basic program tutorials.

Learning objectives

Upon completion of this case study, you will be able to:

• Model a rigid, water-filled tank structure placed on land (on shore)
• Apply internal hydrostatic pressure from the contained water volume
• Define appropriate boundary conditions representing a land-based (fixed) support
• Understand how the absence of external buoyancy affects the load model compared to submerged structures
• Execute a static analysis and evaluate structural response in AquaView.

Introduction

This tutorial describes how to model and analyze a water-filled tank located on land. Unlike submerged or floating aquaculture structures, a land-based tank is not subject to external buoyancy or environmental waves- and current loads. Instead, the dominant load is the internal hydrostatic pressure from the water column contained within the tank, combined with the self-weight of the structure.

Correctly modelling the internal water pressure is essential to obtaining realistic structural results. In AquaSim, this is handled through the closed compartment functionality, where the internal fluid level and density are defined independently from the external environment. The tank structure itself is treated as a fixed, land-based assembly with boundary conditions constraining rigid body motion.

The case study serves as a practical introduction to land-based structural analysis in AquaSim and provides a basis for more complex scenarios, such as tanks subject to sloshing, partial fill levels, impact loads, or varying fluid densities.