Effects of vibration on loads in a corrugated model grain bin

Experiments were conducted using a 1.5 m high by 1.0 m diameter corrugated steel bin to study the effects of vibmtion on loads acting on the bin wall. The bin was instrumented with force and pressure transducers to measure the vertical forces and lateml pressures. The bin was filled with wheat at 12% wb moisture content and then vibrated for 20 minutes at a frequency of 30 Hz and a vertical amplitude of 10 mm (peak to peak). Vibration increased the lateral pressure near the bin floor from 2.73 to 3.78 kPa, or 39%, and the resultant vertical force from 0.96 to 1.17 kN/m, or 22%. During discharge, no increase in lateral pressure was observed in the lower portion of the bin which was previously subject to vibration, whereas an increase of 31% was measured near the floor in the bin which had not been subject to vibration. The maximum load (static plus dynamic load) that was experienced by the vibrated bin was slightly higher than that by the non-vibrated bin.