HiSCS has commenced the jacking and lifting works to replace the bearings supporting the steel roof of a silo clinker located in Vassilikos area in Cyprus.
The initial installation of bearings took place circa 2007. The existing bearings are steel spherical fixed type with anti-lifting capacity.
The bearings support the circular roof consists of central beams in the radial direction (34 pcs) connected with IPE beams in the circumferential direction of concentric circles. All 38 bearings are installed on the silo’s perimeter wall made of reinforced concrete.
Following the routine inspection, the bearings have been found with defects such as anchoring failures and excessive misalignment – speculations – due to accidental silo overfilling and loads transferred to the roof from the stored material.
The new lifting design foresees the replacement of all 38 bearings by jacking and lifting of silo roof using hydraulic jacks.
The jacking and lifting are performed partially in groups of 2-3 consecutive bearings, using 2 jacks of 300tons capacity each, connected in parallel with a hydraulic pump.
Lifting of no more than 10mm was sufficient to remove the existing bearings and replace them with the new ones.
The new bearings are of the same type but with improved characteristics (higher vertical-horizontal and uplift load capacity). In addition, they allow small movements in both horizontal directions prior of their locking up to bear the horizontal loads and have higher rotational capacity.
HiSCS designed the lifting methodology and provided the hydraulic equipment (jacks, pumps, hoses, gauges, distribution plates etc.) coordinating the works of the liftings, jackings and bearings replacement. HiSCS Engineers & Technicians share their experience by training and supervising the executed works in such demanding project (silo under operation with clinker powder covering the area of works). We highlight the importance of routine inspections revealing any defects in structural elements ensuring the Safe for Use and FIt for Purpose (SUFIP) mentality.
