Concrete stave silos are reinforced with exterior, galvanized steel hoops, which help compress the walls and provide necessary tension for structural integrity. The concrete staves act to distribute the load of the material over the hoops. 

The hoops are the primary structural stabilizer of the silo and for this reason; it’s essential to inspect the condition of the exterior hoops, as they are vital to the health and safety of the silo. The exterior hoops shouldn’t be bent, broken, falling off, or lying on the ground. It’s also important to make sure the hoops aren’t heavily corroded. Hoops are bolted together with a lug, which can lead to issues if it begins to corrode. The hoops are tensioned to a specific rating and pressure, so it’s essential that the hoop has not been welded to and stands independently.  

Since stave silo construction utilizes steel galvanized hoops for structural integrity of the bulk storage system, failure to protect these hoops properly will shorten the designed stability of the entire system. A cementitious silo coating is ideal on concrete stave silos, protecting the steel galvanized hoops and preventing leakage. These bonding and waterproofing agents seal the joints between the staves and add a level of corrosion protection to the exterior steel hoops, ensuring long lasting defense against corrosive elements and deterioration.    

One recent case study examines a concrete stave silo with rusted and broken hoops, showing further evidence that failing to inspect your silo regularly will put your silo’s structural integrity, operability, and safety in jeopardy and require costly repairs in the future.     

To learn more, be sure to check out our full library of silo inspection videos on silo maintenance, inspection and repair on