Study on Dynamic Behavior of Silo-Bulk Systems Considering Energy Dissipation Effect Using Shaking Table Test

This study conducted shaking table tests on silo-bulk systems to enhance the understanding of their seismic performance. A novel experimental setup was designed to measure the horizontal pressure and acceleration of the bulk material against the silo wall, enabling the assessment of interaction and energy dissipation effects within the system. Dynamic characteristics, including accelerations, displacement responses, and lateral pressures of the granular particles, were recorded at various earthquake intensity levels. The influence and energy dissipation effect of the granular particles on the dynamic behavior of the silo-bulk system were analyzed, providing an experimental basis for determining the effective mass coefficient of the granular material. The results indicate that a flat-bottom circular silo-bulk system exhibits favorable seismic performance. The stiffness-to-mass ratio and natural frequency of the system decrease with increasing bulk mass. Under seismic excitation, the bulk material contributes significantly to energy dissipation and damping control within the system. The calculated effective mass coefficient ranges approximately between 0.5–0.65 for the half-full silo and 0.5–0.70 for the full silo. The acceleration amplitude and additional lateral pressure on the silo wall exceed those within the bulk material itself, with the additional lateral pressure increasing progressively along the silo height. The overpressure coefficient can reach 2.0 under high-level seismic excitation corresponding to the intensity VII. The relevant results can provide reference for the seismic design of silos.