Stresses and displacements for floating pan roofs

Procedures are developed and parametric curves presented for pan-type roofs floating on various liquids. The rim essentially subjects the central, liquid-supported plating to a vertical load but, at the same time, it provides radial stiffness to the plating. The effect of the trade-off between the rim's weight and stiffness is observed. An understanding of this effect is important in the design of these roofs. Commonly used rim configurations and tank sizes are considered in the presentation and, thus, the results are useful in approximating the displacements of and forces in typical floating pans.