Calculating Safety Factor On Euro-braced tank

webersole · 07/24/2012, 04:19 PM

Hi Folks,

I've been searching off and on for several days on how to calculate the safety factor increase of euro bracing. I'm not an engineer, but I found several calculators that show the safety factor for a certain size tank with a certain thickness of glass. What I want to know is if you take the exact same dimensions and glass thickness of a given tank and add euro bracing at the top and /or bottom what does that do to the safety factor?

It seems to me there should be a "generally accepted" addition to the safety factor number for euro bracing.

Any ideas?

Heliman · 07/24/2012, 04:58 PM

Here is a calculator for both rimless and rimmed (eurobraced) tanks.

You can keep same glass thickness in either model and see the difference between rimmed and rimless Safety Factors

http://www.poseidons-palace.co.uk/Po...Aquariums.html

webersole · 07/24/2012, 06:15 PM

Thanks for sharing the links. I assume that the site is saying that safety factor of 2 is accepted for braced tanks, but for rimless a safety factor of 4 is better. So can I assume that bracing provides double the safety factor or just improves the safety factor by 2?

Heliman · 07/24/2012, 10:42 PM

As far as I am aware, the safety factor is linear, so going from 2 to 4 will in fact double your margin of safety.

As a matter of interest, when I requested my Insurance Company to include the Tank and Equipment on my household policy, they required that a minimum safety factor of 5.6 was necessary. Arguably, they are being conservative, but I have always understood that 4.6 + is a good target.

07/24/2012, 04:19 PM	#1
webersole Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: PA Posts: 117	Calculating Safety Factor On Euro-braced tank Hi Folks, I've been searching off and on for several days on how to calculate the safety factor increase of euro bracing. I'm not an engineer, but I found several calculators that show the safety factor for a certain size tank with a certain thickness of glass. What I want to know is if you take the exact same dimensions and glass thickness of a given tank and add euro bracing at the top and /or bottom what does that do to the safety factor? It seems to me there should be a "generally accepted" addition to the safety factor number for euro bracing. Any ideas? __________________ Living and learning everyday. Current Tank Info: 54 gal reef tank

07/24/2012, 06:15 PM	#3
webersole Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: PA Posts: 117	Thanks for sharing the links. I assume that the site is saying that safety factor of 2 is accepted for braced tanks, but for rimless a safety factor of 4 is better. So can I assume that bracing provides double the safety factor or just improves the safety factor by 2? __________________ Living and learning everyday. Current Tank Info: 54 gal reef tank

07/24/2012, 04:58 PM	#2
Heliman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 208	Here is a calculator for both rimless and rimmed (eurobraced) tanks. You can keep same glass thickness in either model and see the difference between rimmed and rimless Safety Factors http://www.poseidons-palace.co.uk/Po...Aquariums.html

07/24/2012, 10:42 PM	#4
Heliman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 208	As far as I am aware, the safety factor is linear, so going from 2 to 4 will in fact double your margin of safety. As a matter of interest, when I requested my Insurance Company to include the Tank and Equipment on my household policy, they required that a minimum safety factor of 5.6 was necessary. Arguably, they are being conservative, but I have always understood that 4.6 + is a good target.