Settlement Control Scheme for Large Crude Oil Storage Tank Foundations in Tropical Regions

Settlement control for large crude oil storage tank foundations in tropical regions requires addressing the characteristics of high temperature and humidity, heavy rainfall, and soft soil geology, and adopting composite ground treatment technology. First, ground-penetrating radar scanning is used to determine the distribution of weak layers, and composite reinforcement is carried out using gravel piles (0.8m pile diameter, 1.5m spacing) and cement mixing piles (20m pile length) to increase the foundation bearing capacity to over 200kPa. The tank bottom is designed with a 0.5% slope and a circular drainage ditch is installed, along with an HDPE impermeable membrane (permeability coefficient ≤1×10⁻¹²cm/s) to prevent rainwater from seeping and softening the foundation. The foundation adopts a raft + ring beam structure, with a ring beam reinforcement ratio of ≥0.6% to resist bending moments caused by uneven settlement, and the settlement difference is controlled within 0.003D (D is the tank diameter).

The settlement monitoring system integrates fiber optic grating sensors and Beidou positioning technology, with 24 monitoring points arranged around the tank circumference to collect settlement and inclination data in real time (accuracy ±0.1mm), which is transmitted wirelessly to a cloud platform. An adaptive PID algorithm is used to dynamically adjust grouting parameters, and high-pressure jet grouting (slurry water-cement ratio 0.8:1) is automatically triggered for compensation reinforcement when the local settlement rate exceeds 2mm/month. During the operation and maintenance phase, three-dimensional laser scanning is performed quarterly, combined with a BIM model to predict settlement trends, with a prediction accuracy of over 95%.

This scheme provides triple protection through "strengthened foundation - intelligent monitoring - dynamic correction", extending the service life of the storage tank to 30 years in extreme tropical environments. The use of prefabricated concrete modular assembly technology during the construction phase shortens the construction period by 40% and reduces steel consumption by 12% compared to traditional schemes. Operation and maintenance costs are reduced by 25%, comprehensively meeting the requirements of both API 650 and GB 50341 standards.