Numerical study of a locally resonant frictional metamaterial for seismic vibration control of liquid storage tanks

Liquid storage tanks (LSTs) are critical infrastructure components, storing essential fluids in facilities such as oil refineries and nuclear power plants. However, their vulnerability to seismic damage, including tank wall buckling and anchor uplift due to fluid-structure interaction and sloshing dynamics, necessitates advanced protective measures. This study introduces the Locally Resonant Frictional Metamaterial (LRFM) system as an innovative seismic base-isolation (SBI) technology to mitigate earthquake-induced effects on LSTs. The LRFM system consists of a periodic lattice framework with friction-based resonators designed to attenuate seismic waves by generating low-frequency bandgaps (0–20 Hz), which is a critical range for mitigating impulsive seismic excitations in LSTs. Finite element (FE) modeling in COMSOL is used to optimize key lattice parameters, including cell geometry and resonator properties, widening the frequency bandgaps. The system’s effectiveness is assessed through a multi-degree- of-freedom (MDOF) dynamic model of an LST subjected to seismic excitations, with a parametric study investigating the influence of frequency ratio, mass ratio, and cell count on two types of tanks: broad and slender. Results demonstrate that the LRFM system effectively reduces seismic responses in both broad and slender tanks, outperforming conventional seismic mitigation techniques by enhancing energy dissipation through local resonance with frictional interactions. The study highlights the potential of metamaterial-based seismic isolation as a viable alternative to traditional earthquake resilience techniques, offering improved protection for LSTs and other critical infrastructure in seismic-prone regions.