Finite Element Analysis of Structural Performance of Grain Storage Silos Under Nigerian Climatic Conditions

This study applies finite element analysis to assess the structural performance of steel grain storage silos under the combined mechanical and thermal loading conditions characteristic of Nigeria's diverse climatic zones. Nigeria's grain storage infrastructure includes a range of steel silo designs originally developed for temperate climatic conditions that may not adequately account for the high temperature diurnal variation, humidity cycling, and grain pressure characteristics experienced in tropical and semi-arid environments. Structural failures, including buckling, weld cracking, and foundation settlement, have been reported in several Nigerian state silo complexes, motivating a systematic structural engineering assessment. This study develops three-dimensional finite element models of representative flat-bottom and hopper-bottom silo configurations using ABAQUS software, incorporating grain pressure models calibrated to Nigerian grain bulk density and friction angle data. Thermal load analysis models the diurnal temperature cycling effects on steel panel stresses. Parametric studies examine the effect of wall thickness, ring stiffener spacing, and foundation type on structural performance indices. Findings reveal that thermal cycling induces peak stresses in silo wall panels 35 percent higher than grain pressure alone, particularly in the North West zone where diurnal temperature ranges exceed 20 degrees Celsius. Current Nigerian silo designs show inadequate thermal expansion accommodation in several configurations. The study contributes original FEA-based structural performance data for Nigerian silo conditions and recommends revised silo design specifications accounting for tropical thermal loading.

Keywords: grain storage silo, finite element analysis, structural performance, thermal loading, Nigeria.