When the construction of a unique silo required a specialty pour, Iowa-based design/build firm Hoffmann Inc. contacted Lura Enterprises Inc. for a solution. Hoffmann needed to build three grain silos, each 58 feet in diameter, with sloping, cone-shaped bases, 34 feet from bottom to top.
A conical base is ideal for grain to flow freely, but placing concrete on a slope is a challenge. The concrete has to have a low slump to keep it from sliding down. The Lura Lightning Strike Roller screed was uniquely suited for the job. One 34-foot tube would be difficult to transport, but with Lura’s coupling system, it was a matter of connecting a 20-foot, a 12-foot, and a 2-foot tube together. The second challenge was having a pivot at the bottom of the cone that could adapt to any slope grade. Lura’s center-pin pivot was a perfect fit for the job.
“We would not have attempted this kind of a pour without this screed,” says Brandon Ziegenhorn, Hoffmann’s construction manager. Ziegenhorn estimates that the screed cut the pour time in half from conventional trowel by hand and provided a better quality product. In total, 80 yards of concrete were used to complete the pour. “Hoffmann doesn’t have a dollar value for savings, but providing a quality product for our customer gives us all satisfaction in a job well done,” adds Ziegenhorn.