Abstract

The aim of this article is to present the influence of mesh spacing in the error parameters computed for rectangular tanks seismically excited. The potential flow theory is considered using the finite difference method to set a linear numerical formulation due to its simplicity and relatively low computation time, compared with those methods that try to solve directly the Navier–Stokes equations. Wave height on the free surface, as well as pressure, shear force and overturning moment at the tanks wall base are used as parameters for the error evaluation.