The project contains the foundation of 4 silos with a diameter of 27 m each, to be used for the storage of grain. The soil had insufficient bearing capacity to prevent differential settlements under the circular loaded area.
The steel wall of the silo was placed upon a concrete foundation. The bottom of the silo consists of a circular concrete plate which is not connected to the surrounding foundation of the wall.
When the silo is filled, this could
bring about some movement of the plate caused by the consolidation of the subgrade. A local designer made a design with four layers of Enkagrid TRC-20 geogrid to improve the bearing
capacity of the foundation underneath the silos.
TRC-Grid reinforces the granular fill and prevents mixing of the particles of the subgrade and the granular fill during the design life.
Furthermore TRC-Grid acts as a filter around the drainage pipe.
Differential settlements can occur due to consolidation or loss of bearing capacity of the underlying subsoil between the silo wall and the silo bottom plate. However, the support and the movement of the silo bottom plate should be uniform.
