Numerical simulation of stress in aluminum alloy silo based on Drucker-Prager model

Aluminum alloy is the main material used to make large silo in petrochemical industry. A three-dimensional finite element model accounting for interaction between the aluminum alloy silo wall and granular material based on Drucker-Prager plasticity criterion was established, stress distribution of silo was simulated when stored granular materials are in static state, and the effects of granular material's density, friction coefficient, elasticity modulus and dilatancy angle on silo were analyzed. Results showed that, while the cylinder height increased, the stress of aluminum alloy silo would decrease, and the maximum value was reached in cone. With the increase of density and friction coefficient, the stress of silo would increase, and the elasticity modulus has little effect on the stress distribution. When the dilatancy angle changed, the stress in cylinder remained unchanged while the stress in cone changed obviously, and the stress value of the maximum difference reached eight percent.