Structural damage and its causes

The simplest stress analysis of a cylindrical silo structure under symmetrical loads was presented above in Section 3.3.5. Unfortunately, this is often the only analysis that is applied, sometimes with unfortunate consequences for the structure. Metal and concrete silos carry their loads differently because metals are strong in tension but thin metal sections tend to buckle under compression. By contrast, concrete is very weak in tension, but can resist compression well. These aspects lead to different key design considerations. 

Shell structures tend to suffer serious effects when the pressure is not uniform at one level. A local drop of pressure can cause serious damage, of different kinds, in both metal and concrete structures. Where signs of damage are seen, possible causes of loss of symmetry should be the natural first investigation path to follow. 

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