Case Study: Reaching New Heights

225’ Blend Silo Rises at St. Marys Cement

 

Gosling Czubak was retained by St. Marys Cement and its parent company, Votorantim Cimentos, to provide engineering, testing and inspection for a 225' tall blend silo at its Charlevoix, Michigan cement plant.

The blend silo was constructed using a slip form process, a 24-hour operation that ran continuously for two weeks. The average rate of upward travel was 1" every 7 minutes, or a placement rate of 20 yards per hour, depending on the steel requirements, embed items and torsional movement. Inspection of concrete and steel being placed was required, including continuous monitoring of the slump and other mix characteristics to provide the desired specification compliance. Designed to withstand 5,500 PSI (above the required 4,500 PSI), the mix was determined to have a strength near 6,000 PSI.

The base of the silo, 106' in diameter, is composed of 1,400 cubic yards of concrete. The total structure placement was in excess of 3,500 cubic yards.

Gosling Czubak is pleased to have been a part of this unique project and many other projects at St. Marys Cement.