| This study investigates the viability of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) as a
structural material for above-ground Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) tanks. Given its
superior compressive and tensile strength, enhanced durability, and resistance to environmental
degradation, UHPC presents significant advantages over conventional concrete in high-pressure
storage applications. A scaled UHPC tank was designed and experimentally evaluated under
pressures up to 580 psi (4 MPa). Strain data collected from the model were analyzed to assess
structural behavior and validate computational models developed in ANSYS Workbench. The
experimental and numerical results demonstrated strong agreement in hoop directional strain
values for the steel, with relative percentage errors of 1.9% without UHPC and 0.9% with UHPC.
Differences in strain values for the physical and numerical UHPC were greater, slightly exceeding
12%. Nonetheless, the measured values confirmed the structural integrity and feasibility of UHPC
for CAES applications. Additionally, the study explored the role of an integrated neoprene rubber
liner in optimizing strain distribution, revealing its potential to mitigate localized stress
concentrations and enhance the tank’s mechanical performance. A comprehensive failure analysis
using Tresca and von Mises criteria for steel and Mohr-Coulomb and Drucker-Prager criteria for
UHPC was conducted, confirming adequate factors of safety. Subsequently, stresses were scaled
to the prototype design operational pressure of 3,000 psi (20.7 MPa), revealing satisfactory safety
margins, especially when compared to proprietary UHPC mixes. These findings highlight UHPC’s
suitability for next-generation CAES infrastructure, offering a resilient and efficient alternative to
traditional storage materials.
Keywords: Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC), Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES),
experimental modeling, finite element modeling, strain analysis. |