SILO FAILURES: WHY DO THEY HAPPEN?

Abstract

Silos and bins fail with a frequency that is much higher than that of almost any other industrial equipment. Sometimes the failure involves only distortion or deformation that, while unsightly, does not pose a safety or occupational hazard. In other cases, failure involves complete collapse of the structure with accompanying loss of use and even loss of life. Three major causes of silo failure are identified: design errors, construction errors, and utilization errors. Numerous case histories are used to illustrate common mistakes, limits of design, and lessons learned.