Any Structural Engineer on Board?

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dimfer

Gambusia
MFK Member
Dec 8, 2005
490
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16
Canada
I need your help (no legal liability on opinion rendered)

Please give me your opinion on this design.

Tank Size - 120" L x 75" W x 32" H

Material - 3 sheets of 11 gauge 316L stainless steel (almost 1/8" thick). Front and back viewing windows would be 2" cell cast acrylic.

We will start fabrication of this tank on Monday. I have another design using 2x2 stainless square tubing frame, but initial fabrication showed bowing along contionious welding areas. The journeyman suggested to eliminate the square tubing altogether and just use the S/S sheets. The principle of this design is to minimize continious welding and move welded spots away from highest pressure points (corners). There will be a 1/2" lip folded outward along the viewing window. The journeyman assured me that the folded sheet along the bottom of the tank is strong enough to stay in place even with the water pressure. The acrylic sheets would be mounted inside the frame, with about 1/8" gap from the bottom, the gap would be fully siliconed to deflect pressured to the bottom of the tank.

please give me your opinion on this plan..do you think it is strong enough?



 
Did you mean to say two inch cell cast acrylic panels? If so, why so thick and how much is that going to cost?

Dr Joe

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yes, Dr Joe. One sheet of 72 x 120 x 2" would cost me Cdn $ 4,250 cut to any size I want, delivered but not installed. 1.5" thick is Cdn $ 3,350.

I am also looking for suggestion on what silicone or cement to use to attach acrylic to stainless steel.

Why so thick? Because the tank will be next to my expensive audio equipments. I would rather spend the extra $$ now, for peace of mind.

I also referred to this site for the computation.

http://cyro.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/cyro.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=133&p_created=979155189&p_sid=7NBDjRii&p_accessibility=0&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PWRmbHQmcF9ncmlkc29ydD0mcF9yb3dfY250PTc1MiZwX3Byb2RzPSZwX2NhdHM9JnBfcHY9JnBfY3Y9JnBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9MyZwX3BhZ2U9MQ**&p_li=&p_topview=1
 
"next to expensive audio equipment"? Wouldn't you worry about EMI causing "hum" in your speakers? Things like powerheads and heater leak out voltage. Not only would I worry about EMI's, I would worry about electrocution also with a tank made of SS.
 
Im no engineer by any means, but it sounds do-able. The thing I would be worried about is being so close to the audio equipment and the sound vibrations. That much money invested in the audio equipment and the tank would be too much for me to risk tring. Is there anywhere else you could place the tank or audio equipment?
 
dookie;525135; said:
"next to expensive audio equipment"? Wouldn't you worry about EMI causing "hum" in your speakers? Things like powerheads and heater leak out voltage. Not only would I worry about EMI's, I would worry about electrocution also with a tank made of SS.
Click to expand...



Electrocution...Where's yor sense of adventure?

Dr Joe

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I have nothing to add except:

72 inches wide?! My god, man! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Are you planning on keeping a dolphin?
 
Honestly, spend the money on a civil engineer. Take your plans to one with ProE or an equivalent. They will enter it while you are sitting there and it will give you the required dimensions you are looking for. The program will also tell you stresses, strains, deformations, and possibly the integral value of the water pressure. The cost will range from $150 if the guy likes you to $400 if it is a firm with better things to do.
 
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