FINITE ELEMENT MODEL FOR PREDICTING STATIC AND THERMALLY INDUCED BIN WALL PRESSURES.

A second generation finite element model (FEM) was developed to predict static and thermal lateral pressures in grain storage bins. The en masse stress-strain behavior of the stored grain was modeled by the elastoplastic theory. The interaction between the bin wall and grain was described using an interface element. The relationship between shear stress-relative displacement for the interface is assumed to be exponential. The FEM was validated against the experimental data from a scaled model bin. Results showed that FEM adequately predicted lateral static pressures with and without surcharge. The maximum difference between the FEM predicted and the mean measured lateral thermal pressures were 39% of the mean measured values. However, the FEM predicted thermal pressures are within 95% confidence interval for the data for 10 degree C temperature drop.