Analytical solutions for the prediction of loads in silos during filling and emptying stages

The communication deals with the research works carried out in Rennes to develop new calculation methods to compute the stress distributions inside the silo; these methods, based on rational concepts of local equilibrium and behaviour assumptions (suggested from laboratory studies [ 1 ]), have appeared necessary to explain divergences of actual known theories and to replace them by more accurate solutions. It should be noted that many theories of the literature have adopted several simplified assumptions such as a global equilibrium per horizontal layers and s stress limit state upon the wall according to Mohr-Coulomb criterion; some changes on the assumptions may lead to important improvements, as demonstrated in reference [ 2 ].