Silos are an integral part of the material stream for coal fuelled power plants. Coal is typically stored in silos or in a pile around stacking tubes. The scope of the discussion will be limited to reinforced concrete silos.
These structural elements require observation, assessment, and maintenance for extended life. The design and construction of silos is governed by the ACI Committee 313, the published ‘Standard Practice for Design and Construction of Concrete Silos and Stacking Tubes for Storing Granular Materials’.
While it provides guidelines for these storage vessels, there are many issues that need to be considered in the design and construction of a silo.
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