Experimental study of the pressures exerted by wheat stored in slender cylindrical silos, varying the flow rate of material during discharge. Comparison with Eurocode 1 part 4

In this article, we report the results and conclusions of studies conducted using a mid-size test station for assaying pressures in silos. Assays were conducted with wheat, obtaining results for pressures during loading, in static state and during discharge. In addition, different flow rates (kg/s) of the granular material were tested during discharge. The results obtained were compared with Eurocode 1, Part 4.The test station basically consists of a mid-scale cylindrical silo equipped with load cells. This design enabled us to obtain most of the parameters governing the behaviour of stored material and subsequently to compare and validate the different theoretical calculation models and existing standards.The results obtained indicate that in static state, the pressures inside the silo are not constant, and that varying the flow rate during discharge does not entail an associated variation in pressures. They also show that the state of overpressure during discharge is mainly due to an increment in the unit weight of the material in certain areas of the silo and, to a much lesser extent, to dilatancy. Furthermore, the pressure values obtained during discharge were higher than those obtained using the calculation method proposed in Eurocode 1, part 4.

In this article, we report a study of pressures during silo loading and discharge using wheat as the stored material. We also studied the influence of the discharge flow rate (kg/s) on pressures. The results obtained were compared with Eurocode 1, Part 4.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► We report the results of studies conducted using wheat in a mid-scale silo test.
► Instrumentation consisted of load cells.
► Static and dynamic pressures were studied.
► We also studied the influence of the discharge flow rate (kg/s) on pressures.