Stress Analysis of Bins by Shell Bending Theory

Cylindrical storage bins with flat bottom and conical roof have been analyzed for grain and wind loads using the equations of shell bending theory. Both the cases of static and flow grain pressures are considered. The cylindrical container and the conical roof are made of corrugated and plane steel sheets respectively. The boundary conditions at the top of the cone with a ring beam and the cone cylinder junction are derived from the principle of stationary potential energy. The governing equations for the isotropic cone and the orthotropic cylinder subjected to the appropriate boundary conditions are solved for the stresses and displacements using a numerical procedure of piecewise polynomials in conjunction with the partition method. For a considerable part of the cylinder the circumferential moment must be taken into account for an accurate calculation of the hoop stress. Also the stresses produced are much higher during the flow of grain.