Rebecca Long Pyper, Dome Technology, showcases how advanced dome engineering is transforming cement storage efficiency and sustainability at the Port of Tilbury.
At the Port of Tilbury in Essex, UK, building-materials expert Holcim hired Dome Technology to build a DomeSilo, the backbone component in a project that promises economic and environmental benefits for the region.
Holcim approached Dome Technology after deciding on a dome as its storage model of choice. With anticipated demand in mind, Holcim set ambitious goals and required a facility capable of operating around the clock to meet local market material demands.
It was clear from the outset that the two companies would work well in partnership. Holcim’s vision resonated with Dome Technology’s team, and Dome Technology’s efficient construction methods with little material waste corresponded with Holcim’s sustainability values.
From vision to engineering
The first item of business was to determine how to maximise the portside property – no small task, considering the challenging subsurface ground conditions and limited land. However, many Dome Technology customers experience similar challenges, so the team was well prepared for the task.
“One of the main value-engineering contributions we made was significantly reducing the dome's footprint. Our client was facing strict space constraints, and we managed to greatly optimise the overall layout,” Dome Technology business-development manager Victor Ruiz said.
With the foundation plan secured, dome engineering continued, followed by construction. Built on a nine-acre site, the DomeSilo is 40.9 m (140 ft) tall, 33 m (108 ft) in diameter and, when completed, will be capable of storing 30 000 metric t of cement. Cement will be delivered to the site via ship at the Tilbury Port, then conveyed through two units of 16 in. diameter pneumatic pipelines that Dome Technology designed and supplied.
Customisation does not end there; the pneumatic lines from the ship run under the road from the dock to the dome for seamless integration. Inside the dome, a Fuler Technologies fluidised floor with a single side discharge will provide reclaim. Rebecca Long Pyper, Dome Technology, showcases how advanced dome engineering is transforming cement storage efficiency and sustainability at the Port of Tilbury.
The Holcim facility will supply cement across London and South East England. In addition to maximised storage capacity on a smaller footprint, the new plant will feature equipment for manufacturing blended cements.
"With this project, Tilbury joins a small number of pioneering locations in the UK with access to the latest advancements in polymer dome technology, and we are thrilled to join this innovative and elite group,” said Holcim project manager Tim Fry. “Once operational, the site will support both local and regional demand for cement and lower-carbon construction materials.”
Dome Technology provided the desired storage solution for Holcim by leaning on decades of domestic and international experience. “It’s important to highlight our team’s ability to successfully execute a project in the UK, where everything is different from the US and even from continental Europe,” Ruiz said.
Building at a port
Although portside property comes at a premium, many companies are willing to pay the price for one obvious reason: easy access to shipping.
However, developing land on the water comes with its own limitations, such as less land for the money, water-saturated soils, and environmental considerations. With these factors in mind, pre-planning becomes essential for making the most of a port project.
If a port does not have height restrictions, which some do, the most efficient approach is to maximise height, something domes do well. A DomeSilo can store up to three times the product volume than a warehouse, yet within the same footprint. Because of its height, a dome allows companies to stack product deeper, taking up less property at the site. The double curvature of a dome lends itself to the ability to build up, rather than out, and that curve provides strength at all points of the structure, even near the apex. The entire interior of a dome, therefore, can be used to contain product.
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