Silos and tanks in research and practice: state of the art and current challenges

Silos and tanks are probably the commonest form of large engineering shell structure in ser vice, but their placement on industrial sites and out of the public eye often leads them to be neglected by researchers and the public alike. The high rate of structural failure in these structures is a strong indication of the extensive range of issues that must be understood by the designer and the complexity of their behavior. This paper outlines some of the most critical aspects of the loading, structural behavior and failure modes of silos and tanks, and points in many places towards the need for additional research to permit better regulation of these very varied and complex structures.