A lot of business enterprises are opting for underground rainwater harvesting tanks as it has a lot of environmental benefits. One of the advantages of choosing underground tanks is the water stored in the tank is very cold and prevents the growth of algae. It helps to feed any domestic property and is commonly used to supply water to residential homes for daily use.
Tank flotation can be one of the major issues and can damage the tank as well as other attachments of the tank. To avoid such incidents, one should always follow all the guidelines and procedures when installing an underground tank. For e.g., when we throw a half-filled bottle into the water, it floats because the air within the bottle exerts an upward force. This method is known as buoyancy. The most critical factor in determining buoyant force is tank volume. The greater the capacity of the tank, the greater the volume. So, the same way when we have large water tanks which contain a large volume of liquid, the force is extremely strong which can cause damage to the tank. These underground water tanks are just not used to store rainwater but also used for drinking.
Whenever you are planning to install an underground water tanks, there are two major factors to consider, weather conditions and groundwater pattern. You need to avoid areas that collect water associated with backfill material because it is not a favorable situation while installing an underground water storage tank. This situation should be accounted for while installing underground water tanks because the weather can change at any time. Following elements should be taken care of to avoid underground tanks from floating:
- Always increase the burial depth and amount of pavement above the tank. The extra weight of the backfill and pavement is often enough to keep the tank from floating.
- The burial depth should not exceed the manufacturer’s recommendation as it can damage the tank if filled above the level of backfill surrounding the tank.
- An alternative is to use a hold-down pad which is a cement pad placed underneath the tank.
- Deadman anchors can also be used as they are beams placed along the sides of the tank that provides extra stability and prevents flotation.
- The use of thick paving slabs above the tank can produce additional downward pressure and keep the underground storage tank in place.
Polycon Gulf Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of good-quality water tanks in the UAE. They have emerged as a pioneer within the industry, and if you have any requirement for water storage tanks, reach out to them.
