THE 7th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

"CIVIL ENGINEERING - SCIENCE AND PRACTICE"

GNP 2020 – Kolašin, Montenegro, 10-14 March 2020

Goran Simonović1, Jelena Medić2, Senad Medić3, Mili Selimotić4

PROBLEM OF OPENING IN A CYLINDRICAL SILO

Abstract
The paper deals with the problem of openings in a cylindrical silo. All stages from the design
solution, the construction of the openings with strengthening, to the silo exploitation tests are
shown. The silo was built in the 1980s, and the technological requirement to cut an opening in
the silo walls occurred after the outage of the plant. The diameter of the silo is 30m and the
wall height amounts to 30m. An opening of 4x4 m was planned in the reconstruction. The need
to cut through the silo walls arose from the long-term deposition of the clinker and its
solidification, thereby significantly reducing the useful storage capacity. The first part of the
paper describes the original design solution. It is followed by a linearization of the relevant
loads in order to create a simplified numerical model. Silo stresses obtained by finite element
analysis are compared with influences that can be easily determined by membrane theory. This
model was used to control the stresses of the original load bearing structure, as design
documentation is lacking. Then the calculation was made for the model with openings. Strut-
and-tie models were also formed in order to visualize the load bearing mechanism and to
determine the required reinforcement. Execution of strengthening by jacketing is also briefly
described. At the end of the paper, the excerpts from the silo testing after establishing of the
openings are presented. The silo test was performed in stages. The load increment was
approximately 20% of the full exploitation load. It takes slightly less than a month of
continuous filling to saturate the silo. The measured stresses are as expected. The problem of
ovalization of the silo due to the imperfect distribution of stored material was also pointed out.
Key words
Cylindrical silo, openings, jacketing, design, execution, stress measurements.

1
PhD, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Civil Engineering University of Sarajevo, goransimonovic@yahoo.com
2
MSc, Senior Assistant, Faculty of Civil Engineering University of Sarajevo, jecacuric@yahoo.com
3
PhD, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Civil Engineering University of Sarajevo, senad_medic@yahoo.com
4
PhD, Associate Professor, University „Džemal Bijedić“ Mostar, Faculty of Civil Engineering, mili.selimotic@unmo.ba

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1. PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

As part of the cement production process, there is a need to store large quantities of cement
clinker (Figure 1). Storage is carried out in cylindrical silos. The paper describes the problems
related to establishing of openings in reinforced concrete silos.

Figure 1. View of cement clinker storage silo

The silo was originally designed as a 30m diameter cylinder that was detached from the
foundation. There is a circular ring at the top of the cylinder that is the support for the steel roof
structure. The silo is filled centrally through the roof, and it is emptied through the tunnels in the
silo. With such a design solution, immediately after the silo was put in use, large quantities of
clinkers were permanently trapped in the space (Figure 2 – section A). The useful volume of the
silo has been decreasing over the years (Figure 2 – section B), so the investor decided to consider
cutting openings of 4x4m to allow the mechanization to access the interior of the silo.

Figure 2. Layout and cross-section of the silo

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From the project documentation there are: architectural plans (foundations, sections and
facades), part of the structural analysis related to the construction of the roof, and partial
reinforcement designs. The original static calculation, technology design, and construction plans
are missing. Although incomplete, the project documentation was fairly preserved and could be
used for establishment of rehabilitation plans. The cylindrical silo shell is made of reinforced
concrete. Shell thickness is 40cm and the concrete quality class is MB30. The original
reinforcement was RA400/500 in the horizontal direction and GA240/360 in the vertical direction.

2. ANALYSIS

The silo loads were calculated according to Jansen's theory [1]. The following load cases
were treated: self-weight, horizontal clinker loading, silo wall friction, wind and seismic forces.
The last two load cases were not relevant. The horizontal pressure and the vertical friction loads
are shown in Figure 2. The abscissa of the diagram is the distance from the zero Jansen point
located approximately 4m from the top of the silo, and the ordinate represents load values in
kN/m2. The diagrams were linearized and used as software input.

Figure 3. Silo load according to Jansen

Two models were comparatively analyzed, namely the continuous structure (Fig.4) and the
structure with necessary opening. For the first model, pure membrane stress was obtained [2]. The
horizontal forces are considerable and are as high as 3200 kN/m in the lower edge of the silo.
Vertical friction forces and self-weight are approximately half of the horizontal force. These forces
can be determined easily applying elementary knowledge of shell theory and without the use of
software.
In the second model, a stress concentration occurs in the opening zone. The denser the finite
element mesh, the higher the concentration. Therefore, a strut-and-tie model was formed which
clearly shows the load bearing mechanism of the silo (Fig.5). The tensile forces in this model are
the result of the tensile stresses that existed in the silo wall before the opening was made. Their
intensity can be easily assessed by multiplying the height of the opening and the intensity of the
membrane forces. These forces are transmitted through concrete diagonals and highly stressed ties

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above and below the opening edges, and are counter-balanced with the same forces on the other
side due to rotational symmetry.

Figure 4. Membrane forces in silo

It should be noted that the correct strut-and-tie model also shows the zone that needs to be
vertically reinforced due to the transfer of stress through the concrete diagonal. This clearly
identifies the area in which the reinforcement needs to be anchored.

Figure 5. Required horizontal reinforcement and strut-and-tie model for vertical and horizontal
loading

For self-weight and friction on the silo wall, a model was formed that simulates the flow of
vertical stress in the opening zone. The tensile forces in this model are of the order of magnitude of
one-third the forces from horizontal stresses. The sum of the forces Z1 and Z2 corresponds to the
forces obtained by the finite element model. The required strengthening reinforcement is
determined for these forces [2].

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3. IMPLEMENTATION

The idea is to make RC jackets around the opening. The required reinforcement is arranged
on both wall sides. The thickness of jacket is 20 cm and its height/length ratio is 2 m. These
dimensions are sufficient to place the necessary additional reinforcement and resist the tensile
stresses. In addition, from the drawing (Figure 5) the jackets were extended for the required
anchorage length.

Figure 6. Jacketing scheme and reinforcement layout

Mounting holes (MO) were first drilled. The reinforcement in these openings was
preserved. Stirrups were introduced to connect new jackets with the wall, and existing and new
reinforcement. The stirrups in the jackets are exposed to complex stress state being dowels and
anchors at the same time. The number of stirrups required is significant. Additionally, the openings
for anchor plates were drilled below and above the openings, and these anchors act as a support for
new reinforcement in the jackets. Concrete mix made according to a special design was used.

Figure 7. View of strengthening in erection phase and after completion

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After the concrete was cured, the main opening was cut. Subsequently, an access structure
was constructed that was not connected to either the silo or the strengthening.

4. TESTING

Based on the stress analysis and structural interventions in silo walls, 16 locations at which
deformation readings will be performed were determined, depending on the degree of filling of the
silo with clinker. It was decided that the state of deformation should be monitored in the zone of
new openings, as well as on the opposite side of the silo in the zone where the influence of new
openings on the behavior of the structure is lost.
The positions of measuring points are shown in Figure 8. Along the height of the silo walls
on the front side deformation readings were performed in the horizontal direction at the points
designated as 1, 3 and 14 (on the inside corresponding to 8, 7 and 15). Points 1 and 14 are located
on the jacketed part of the wall. Vertical deformations are read at the measuring points 2 and 5 on
the front side of the silo, or at the point 6 located at the back of silo, with measuring point 2 on the
strengthened wall section. Possible slipping of the new jacketing around the opening along the
existing silo shell is monitored at measuring points 4 and 13. Other measuring points are not
relevant for this study.
A visual inspection of the silo was also carried out prior to testing. It was concluded that the
mesh of tiny cracks is easily visible on the entire surface of the silo, and that in some parts of the
silo these cracks are pronounced, which is expected as the whole structure is in cracked state.

Figure 8. Measurement of deformations

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As expected, the highest stresses occur in the lower part of the silo where horizontal forces
are highest. The stresses in the reinforcement as a function of the percentage of silo filling are
shown in the diagram in Figure 9. Other results can be found in the archives of the Institute of
Materials and Structures of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Sarajevo [3].
240

220

200

180

160

140 m.m. 14
m.m. 15
120
Linearni (m.m. 15)
100 Linearni (m.m. 14)
80

60

40

20

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Figure 9. Reinforcement stresses for locations 14 and 15

Measurement of deformations shows that the stresses in concrete are much greater than the
tensile strength of concrete. The entire silo is in the cracked state so all the stresses are taken up by
the reinforcement. Rebar stresses are lower than the allowable stresses. The existing significant
load level, given the existence of cracks, which opens the possibility of corrosion of the
reinforcement, can have an impact on the durability of the silo.
Measurement of deformations shows that the silo strengthening was made in accordance
with the rules of the profession and that the level of stress does not exceed the code limits. The silo
can be used as technically correct given the measured stresses.
Here it is necessary to point out the ovalization problem that occurs due to the filling of the
silo, which has not been treated in more detail in the paper. Namely, the cone of the fill material is
not ideally formed, and the changes in the stress state have random character, which should be
investigated in more detail.

5. CONCLUSION

Design and erection of silos are real engineering challenges. Cutting openings in the
structure of the silo that has been in use for half a century changed the originally designed stress
state. With adequate strengthening, such extremely demanding interventions can be made. Each
intervention needs to be properly analyzed applying various calculation methods and the results of
the calculations need to be compared. The flow of forces should be idealized with clear and simple
models and the necessary reinforcements designed accordingly.
The performed tests show that the original silo characteristics were not significantly
disturbed by the opening. For such structures it would be advisable to constantly monitor the
behavior.
Continuous measurements of the deformation and the degree of filling of the silo could
further be used to analyze the problem of ovalization resulting from the uneven filling of the stored
material.

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LITERATURE

[1] V. Hasanović: "Silosi", Građevinski fakultet, Sarajevo, 2001

[2] G. Simonović: "Projekat otvora u silosima klinkera", Institut za materijale i konstrukcije
Graševinskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Sarajevu, Sarajevo, 2007
[3] G. Simonović, J.Ćurić.: " Elaborat o ispitivanju armiranobetonske konstrukcije silosa S1 tokom
njegovog punjenja", Institut za materijale i konstrukcije Građevinskog fakulteta Univerziteta u
Sarajevu, Sarajevo, 2008

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