Structural and Functional Design of Metal Silos

This is the definitive text on the simple, safe and practical design of large metal storage silos. It provides advice on both the functional and structural design of silos and their assessment – it begins by indicating the critical information needed for such a design, follows with key assessments to achieve guaranteed flow of stored solids, and then goes on to describe in detail the pressures on silo walls under different conditions, the structural analysis required and the many different failure conditions that must be avoided. It also describes the signs of classic failure types and illustrates them with some specific case histories.

It is based on a huge range of research studies and practical investigations of silo failures. It is not only theoretically rigorous but also rich in hard data. It gives explanations and advice vital to any designer or constructor of metal silos. Forms covered include elevated and on-ground, circular and rectangular, smooth walled and corrugated, with and without external stiffeners. It covers vertical walls and conical hoppers, support arrangements and basic foundation requirements.

Professor J. Michael Rotter is arguably the world’s leading authority on the design of steel silos. His previous Guide for the Economic Design of Circular Metal Silos provided extensive material for the new Eurocodes, which are widely seen as the best current design rules in the world. His extensive research has also greatly influenced silo standards in the US and Australia. This new book presents a comprehensive design text and advisory background document for an international audience.

J. Michael Rotter is Professor of Civil Engineering at University of Edinburgh; Chairman of the committees behind the European Standards on silos and related structures; member of the silo standards committees for Australia (AS), American Concrete Institute (ACI) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME); Chairman of the WG1 on Silos and Tanks of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures.