Recently Dennis Southam & Associates have been involved in the design of several wastewater treatment plants in remote areas of Australia. The design services have included large rectangular tanks for a variety of water treatment processes, including bioreactors, clarifiers, chlorine contact, anoxic, and aerator tanks.
Designing rectangular tanks is a different challenge compared to cylindrical tanks. Constructed using flat panels, carefully designed stiffening patterns strengthen the tanks to accommodate hydrostatic pressure loads. Other factors such as wind and seismic loads must also be analysed particularly in areas prone to cyclonic and seismic activity.