When considering concrete repair, one typically thinks of a driveway, patio, pool deck, or garage.
If you’re a farmer, you understand that concrete floors in outbuildings and grain bins also need this maintenance. Why? Floor or foundation settlement in metal grain bins is common after thousands of pounds of feed have sat inside of it for days on end.
Let’s review some basic information about grain bins and why you might need to look at grain bin repair to level out the bin.
Grain bins are made of metal, and their floors are poured of concrete. Grain bins are found on most large farms and are used to store corn, soybeans, and other grains. These metal bins meet the market needs for export and domestic feed, food, and fuel use. As necessary as these large bins are for agriculture, they can also be dangerous for farmers and grain workers. In fact, according to researchers at Purdue University, over the past 50 years, more than 900 cases of grain engulfment have been reported, with a fatality rate of 62 percent.
Working in and around grain bins can be dangerous, so the foundations under these bins must be stable. Having solid concrete floors is essential to the overall effects of these huge metal structures. Because the weight of the grain is hefty, this alone can cause the concrete to sink and settle. Additionally, natural foundation settling occurs with the changing weather patterns and the constant wear and tear of its storage capacities.
Additionally, other problems can also result from grain bin foundation problems.
Foundation settlement leads to foundation cracks. As a result, water can enter your grain bin floor, damaging the concrete further, and after harvest, can damage and mold your stored grain.
When your concrete is uneven or damaged, the grain in your bin will settle into those lower areas. This can cause storage issues. In addition, your grain sweeper may be damaged by continued movement over the affected areas of your grain bin floor.
During the time of year when there is no grain stored in the bin, you may perform maintenance and cleaning. This can mean a trip and fall hazard for you. The concrete gaps and cracks will likely worsen over time, leading to a more significant risk every time you enter.
Because settlement occurs over time, you may not even realize its impact on the overall structural health of your grain bin. In what could be considered a worst-case scenario, you could experience grain bin collapse. This is both a dangerous and costly prospect.
Concrete settlement happens for several reasons. The result is often the same: you see cracks or sloping concrete. The causes could be as a result of:
Knowing why your grain bin sank is integral to determining a resolution. The best thing you can do to diagnose your grain bin settlement is to have the structure inspected by a professional. The team at Airlift Concrete Experts specializes in grain bin floor repair and would be happy to provide you with an inspection and recommendations for repair.
Calling a professional concrete leveler is essential when attempting to fix the cracks or settlement of these large structures. Airlift Concrete Experts is now serving several states that need concrete grain repair. Our team can raise grain bin flooring and restore the foundation by solidifying subsoils 4′-8′ below to fix the initial problem. We have the expertise and tools to get your grain bin foundation back to its original form. We currently serve the following states with concrete grain repair: Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.
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