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Calculation and Measurement of Stresses in Bins and Silos

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Powders and Bulk Solids

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Abstract

The stresses occurring in silos and other containers filled with bulk solids depend not only on the shape of the container but also on the properties of the bulk solid, such as bulk density, horizontal stress ratio, and wall friction angle. The stress distribution in a silo’s vertical section is completely different from those in the hopper, which again shows a difference between bulk solids that have just been filled in and bulk solids that have already flowed down the hopper. The resulting stress distributions are explained and assessed by simple calculation methods (slice element methods). With the help of stress calculations, the load on discharge devices and the driving forces can also be estimated. In addition, effects such as the stress peak at the transition from the shaft to the hopper in the case of mass flow, the effect of inserts on the stresses, and uneven stress distribution due to eccentric flow are described. Directions are given for measuring stresses, e. g. at silo walls.

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  1. Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, Wolfsburg, Germany

    Dietmar Schulze

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Schulze, D. (2021). Calculation and Measurement of Stresses in Bins and Silos. In: Powders and Bulk Solids. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76720-4_9

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