Tensile Performance of Prefabricated Tank Walls Connected Using Ultrahigh‐Performance Concrete

Prefabricated tank structures are a widely used form of industrialized construction, yet the behavior of connections between precast segments remains insufficiently explored. Since the mechanical properties of these connections govern the structural performance of prefabricated tanks, this study introduces a novel joint detail employing cast‐in‐place ultrahigh‐performance concrete (UHPC). Three precast wall specimens with UHPC joints, designed with varying reinforcement anchorage lengths, and one monolithic cast‐in‐place normal concrete (NC) wall specimen were subjected to tensile testing. The testing aimed to evaluate their structural performance, including failure modes and tensile capacities, as well as the durability‐related impermeability of the joint interface. Complementary numerical simulations were then conducted to investigate the influence of UHPC strength on structural behavior. The results demonstrated that the proposed joints effectively utilized the superior tensile strength of UHPC, with the maximum tensile yield and failure capacities exceeding those of the monolithic NC wall by 17.3% and 16.1%, respectively. These findings confirm that the proposed prefabricated tank wall system can achieve a load‐bearing capacity comparable to that of cast‐in‐place construction. Finally, a theoretical framework was developed to predict the tensile capacity and displacement behavior of precast walls with UHPC joints, showing close agreement with experimental results. Overall, this study provides both practical evidence and design guidance for the reliable application of prefabricated tank structures.