Ceralia

The steel and silo construction carried out by TSC Silos on behalf of Ceralia presents much more challenge than one might initially think. The two square silo blocks, each consisting of 18 cells, are straightforward but built in a newly constructed concrete hall. The concrete structure had to be prepared for the integration of the silos. The concrete columns also served as the columns for the silo construction. Therefore, TSC had to be involved in the design of the concrete structure.

The substructure of the silos, a truss with spans of 7.5 x 5.0 meters, had to seamlessly connect and be anchored in cantilevers provided by the concrete builder. This was critical because the loads of the silos were also transferred at these points. And these loads are not insignificant: each silo cell can contain up to 22,500 kilograms of cleaned grains. And that’s not including the weight of the silo itself! Good coordination was vital in this.

Modular construction provided the solution for Ceralia

Challenging enough, but that wasn’t all. In the design of the silos, it also had to be considered that assembly would take place in an enclosed hall. Therefore, it was not possible to build freely with a large crane. The modular construction method of our silos provided the solution for Ceralia. With components that are “slid” together on the construction site to assemble a square silo block. The truss girders are installed in three parts and connected with bolted connections. Furthermore, different floors of both concrete (by the concrete builder) and tear plates (TSC) are integrated between the two silo blocks. As if that wasn’t enough, a floor was suspended from the roof to support the aeration device and ensure easy access.

Checks by Prüfstatikers

The entire structural integration, including steel, silo, and concrete construction, was checked by a so-called Prüfstatiker, who reviews the calculations of the building on behalf of the (local) government. They assess whether all calculations and results comply with the applicable standards.

Always customized

Because TSC’s square silos are always customized, we also adapt the design of the silos to the requirements of the customer or machine builder. In this case, the concrete builder’s perspective was also considered. Using the latest software, everyone could perform collision checks, which were corrected in the design phase. This resulted in a construction with millimeter precision, perfectly fitting components, and without necessary adjustments on the construction site itself. Our favorite detail in this project? A floor suspended from the roof supports the aeration system and provides accessibility.