TITLE:
Study and Design of a 500 m3 Fixed-Roof Diesel Storage Tank Using a Comparative Method Based on the Eurocode, API 650, and Codres Construction Codes
AUTHORS:
Vanlie Maurice Kontchou
KEYWORDS:
Design, Sizing, Reservoir, Dress, Methodology, Finite Elements
JOURNAL NAME:
Modern Mechanical Engineering,
Vol.16 No.4,
September
11,
2026
ABSTRACT: This work presents the study and design of a 500 m3 fixed-roof storage tank intended for diesel storage at the Limbe Oil Yard, using a comparative approach between the API 650, Eurocode, and CODRES standards. The project aims to ensure the refueling of ships and the supply of industrial equipment at the Cameroon Shipyard and Industrial Engineering Complex. The methodology adopts two approaches: a first analytical approach based on membrane theory for isotropic elastic materials, and a second numerical approach using the finite element method (FEM) implemented in Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis software. The comparison criteria include wind load analysis, structural components, ease of use, structural reliability, and construction cost. The results reveal a 1 mm thickness difference for the shell courses between Eurocode calculations and those obtained using the other codes. In addition, an estimated cost difference of approximately 3 million CFA francs is observed between the CODRES-based design and those developed according to API 650 or Eurocode.