The storage of granular materials has had an important role in the agribusiness. Storing granular materials in silos, instead of in bags or big-bags, has been an increase tendency. Aiming at an economic and rational solution for storing granular materials this paper presents an alternative design: a multi-cell silo group composed of reinforced masonry rectangular cells coupled two by two in width, and a variable number of cells in length according to the volume of desired storage. Such symmetrical system benefits the loading and the unloading operations, and guarantees the continuity between the receipt flow and the shipment flow. The silo bottom is designed as a double pyramidal central opening hopper. The hoppers are built in precast-concrete trussed panels. Cells and hoppers are supported on reinforced concrete beams and columns. The thermal insulation needed to preserve the quality of the grains is obtained by using galvanized steel trapezoid tiles for the roof as well as for the lateral closure. An example is presented and the feasibility of the alternative design is discussed.
silos; granular material; structural masonry; reinforced concrete; structural system
