1st International Construction Specialty Conference

1re Confrence internationale spcialise sur le gnie de la construction

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

May 23-26, 2006 / 23-26 mai 2006

Slip-Form Productivity Analysis for Concrete Silos

M.R. Sharifi, S. Baciu and T. Zayed
Department of Building, Civil, and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec,
Canada

Abstract: Starting from the beginning of the 20-century, slip-forming is widely used in formwork due to
fast concrete work. Slip-forming is one of the potential concrete formwork methods that improves speed
and productivity of repetitive vertical concrete work. Typical projects that employ this technique are: silos,
core of high-rise buildings, telecommunication towers, cooling towers, heavy concrete offshore platforms,
etc. Current research aims at assessing slip-form productivity using simulation as well as determining the
best slip-form rate and resource combination. A simulation model for slip-forming technique is developed.
Data are collected from a case study in slip-forming of concrete silo. The potential control units in the
system are described while applying the developed model to the case study. Results show the usefulness
of applying the developed simulation model to slip-forming technique with robust results of 99% validation.

1. Introduction
Slip-forming is one of the most common methods of construction in concrete silos. Usually, industrial silos
such as coal or production line storage silos, which have different heights and diameters are made of
concrete using slip-form. Silos are also used to store grains in which they are interconnected as multiple
cells (Peurifoy & Oberlender, 1996). Slip-forming construction technology has also become very important
in high-rise concrete structures (Risser, 1995). It differs from conventional concrete formwork because it
moves semi-continuously with respect to the concrete surface being formed and form ties are not used
(Risser, 1995). Recent improvements in larger yoke capacities and better laser guidance result in more
efficient and faster slipping rates (Risser, 1995).
Jaafari et al. (1989) reported that there are many forming methods that can be used to construct a highrise building or concrete silo, such as slip-form, climb-form, jump-form, super-shafter, and conventional
forming methods. It has been shown that for buildings of less than 15 stories high or silo less than 15 m
high, none of the alternative methods can compete with the conventional forming method. This study
further stated that for tall structures (greater than 30 stories), the alternative methods could potentially
reduce the costs by up to 30-40%. In addition, slip-forms showed cost advantages for more than 20 stories
and larger than 600 m2 formed area per floor. For silos higher than 15 meters, slipforming method is the
best economically and time wise (Jaafari et al., 1989). Slip-forms were extensively used in concrete silos
and tall structures in the last few decades (Risser, 1995; Hurd, 1990; Jaafari et al., 1989; and Anon, 1987).
Simulation technique can be applied to the modeling of slip-form operations in order to study different
combinations of resources. MicroCYCLONE modeling and programming technique can be used to
simulate this process. The elements of MicroCYCLONE, originally developed by Halpin in 1973, are used
to model and simulate slip-form operations. MicroCYCLONE is a simple and powerful tool for construction
process planning, as demonstrated by many researchers (Zayed and Halpin, 2001).

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Therefore, due to lack of research in modeling slip-form productivity, current research will design a concrete
silo construction productivity model for slip-forms using simulation. It will determine the best slipping (jacking)
rate and resource combination. It further accommodates limitations of concrete property and construction
difficulties, such as stoppages, technological problems, concrete setting time, and their effect on productivity.

2. Slip-Form Background
Few decades ago, for the first time, a wooden rising form using wooden screw jacks and wooden yokes
was operated, and six years later, in Tennessee, USA, the first apartment building was constructed using
slip-forming (Ratary, 1980). In 1974, slip-form method was used to construct the concrete shaft of CN
tower in Toronto, with 335 m height, within eight months. Slip-forming is a technique used to build
structures quickly, in which the wet concrete is extruded, rather than retained in forms until it has hardened
(Anon, 1978 & 1987). In slip-forming, the concrete is poured at a pre-determined rate on top of a traveling
form and emerges in a hardened state from the bottom. Concrete is shaped to the desired profile during
the travel of the form. Slip-forming is economical for structures with uniform cross-section, but it is adopted
for structures that vary in cross-section and shape through their height as well. Slipping speed has a fixed
rate in which the form will leave the concrete after being strong enough to retain its shape while it can
carry the load of its weight. Therefore, careful planning is essential to establish a suitable concrete mix
well before starting the work. With the reductions in construction time and labor cost, slip-forms prove
more economical in the long run in spite of their high initial investment (Anon, 1978 & 1987). Slip-forms
have many advantages over other techniques: high operational speed, economical, accurate operations,
high quality finished surfaces, and a continuous moving monolithic structure. It can be used to construct
special structures: telecommunication and cooling towers, silos, heavy concrete offshore platforms, etc.
Many challenges face slip-form usage in the construction industry. Continuous work needs high-level
management of resources and convenient work environment. In addition, weather conditions and labor
union restrictions might add to these challenges. It requires many accompanied equipments that have to
work continuously parallel to the slip-forms. This will increase the initial investment as well as assembling
and disassembling expenses of such method (Betterham, 1980). In addition, any changes in the
operational information during constriction cost a lot of time and money. The number of boxes and
embedded parts in the height of the structure influences greatly the cost and time as well.
The basic criteria for selecting slip-form as a formwork method will be project time; required speed; cross
section uniformity and height; number of openings; and necessary stoppages in the height. The risk of
modifying operational information and having mistakes should be eleminated (Hanna, 1999).
Therefore, the speed of slip-form is a function of concrete properties, number of stoppages, weather
conditions, and management capabilities. The slipping rate depends on how fast horizontal reinforcements
and anchor plates can be placed. In addition, concrete setting time greatly influences the slipping rate. The
slip-form can move whenever concrete can carry the load of its weight in lowest parts of form sheet;
therefore, slipping rate is directly related to the concrete setting time. Because setting time is influenced by
weather conditions (temperature, humidity, etc), cement ratio, type of cement, slump, and admixtures
(Hurd. 1995), the best slipping rate will be chosen based upon job conditions. Slip-form speed should
not be so fast to cause collapses, where soft concrete falls out from under the form, nor so slow to
cause stick, where concrete sticks to the slip-form and parts will rip away from the wall.

3. Slip-Form Simulation Model Development

To build the simulation model of constructing concrete silo using slip-form technique, the construction
phases (algorithm) have to be identified. Slip-form passes through several steps in order to build one
meter of the concrete silo as shown in Figure 1:
Step 1: Slip-form considers to be started from specific level in the high of silo. In this step, tower-crane lifts
reinforcements and embedded plates to the platform.

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Step 2: One-step jacking is done where the slip-form is driven up one jacking step ( = 2 in = 5.08 cm).
Step 3: Then, concrete will be poured to fill the empty form. Concrete will be cured and finished in order to
be ready for the next step.
Step 4: Repeat step 2 four times to raise the form 20 cm. Rebar will be installed for the next 20 cm.
Step 5: Repeat the above four steps until the completion of one meter of concrete silo.
Step 6: Repeat the above five steps until the completion of the concrete silo.
These steps are better explained through Figure 2, which shows the elevation of the constructed silo with
its important levels. In addition, Figure 3 shows the details of the above construction algorithm. After
identifying the construction algorithm, simulation model can be designed. The MicroCYCLONE (Halpin
and Riggs, 1992) elements that are used in modeling the simulation model are shown in Figure 4. Based
on these elements, a model is developed as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 1. Construction steps for concrete core using slip-forms.

4. Case Study
Hormozghan cement factory project (Bandar Abbas, Iran) was chosen as a case study in current research.
It included Raw Meal Silos and towers with 6000-ton cement production per day. All silos and towers of
the cement factory were constructed using slip-form lifting system as shown in Figure 5. The silo was
designed to store row material to feed a pre-heater tower that was used as a reserve for production line.
Row materials were transported from the Row Mill to the uppermost part of the silo. From there the row
material flowed down a concerte cone, which distributed material to all outlets. Samarah Construction Co.
(general civil contractor) performed the slip-forming part of this project. Silo has 16 meter- inner diameter,
50 cm thickness and 50 meters-height. Concrete was poured using bucket and crane with a rate of
approximately 8 m3/hr; rebar and material were lift to the platform by the same crane. Slip-forming took
place through 24 working hours per day through shifts. Table 1 shows general project information that is
considered in the simulation model. On the other hand, the duration of simulation activities are shown in
Table 2. Figure 6 shows the construction steps of concrete silo from foundation to the project close out.
Table 1. General Project Data
Item
Considered Silo height
Wall thickness
Silo inner diameter

Information
1.0 m
0.5 m
16.0 m

Table 2. Activities Duration (Triangular Distribution)

Activity
Jacking
Concrete Pouring
Rebar installation
Material lifting

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Duration (Min)
5
4,4.8,5
7,8,9
5,6,7

Figure 2. Construction process of Raw Meal

Silo by slip forming

Figure 3. Construction algorithm of slip-form application

to concrete silo.

5. Simulation Model Application to Case Study

Activity durations are estimated and embedded into the MicroCYCLONE model to start simulation. The
input data include: maximum possible jacking rate according to the mechanical capability of the form, mix
design and concrete property, concrete pouring, rebar installation, and material lifting. Rebar installation
time is determined based on a crew of 8 rebar workers (rodmen). Concrete pouring time is determined
based on crane and bucket rates. Material lifting time is based on average crane lifting speed. The
MicroCYCLONE package is used to simulate with the developed model in Figure 7. Sensitivity analysis is
used to estimate productivity based upon various maximum potential jacking rate, silo diameter and
thickness, and concrete pouring method. Jacking rates depend mainly on various concrete setting times
and jacks power. Jacking rates changes from 10 cm/hr up to the 60 cm /hr. However, the rate can be
increased, but concrete requires extra admixtures, such as setting time accelerators. Concrete pouring
method is also alternated between two systems: pump system (average pouring rate = 3 minutes/m3)
versus crane-buckets system (pouring rate = 10 minutes/m3). The results of simulation as well as
sensitivity analysis are shown in Tables 3, 4 and 5. Table 3 and Figure 8 show jacking rates and their
associated productivity in case study silo. It further shows that productivity with 30 cm/hr jacking rate using
crane-buckets system to pour concrete is 0.151 m/hr (assuming 24 working hours per day).
The cross-section area of the silo: diameter and thickness are the factors that affect productivity of slipform system. Therefore, two charts have been developed to predict productivity (m/hr) considering silo
diameter, and jacking rate, as shown in Figures 9, and 10. For example, Figure 9 shows that a project of
12m-diameter silo using 40 cm/hr jacking rate, and using crane-buckets system to pour concrete will
produce 0.2m/hr productivity. Similarly, the productivity different silos, using pump to pour concrete can be
predicted using Figures 10. It is obvious that the developed curves for pump and crane-buckets systems
are deemed beneficial to practitioners in the slip-form industry. These curves can further be used to plan
slip-form projects efficiently. They enable experts to optimally schedule slip-form operation in a specific
project and within various projects.

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Name

Symbol

Combination (COMBI)
Activity

Function
This element is always preceded by Queue Nodes.
Before it can commence, units must be available at each
of the preceding Queue Nodes. If units are available, they
are combined and processed through the activity. If units
are available at some but not all of the preceding Queue
Nodes, these units are delayed until the condition for
combination is met.

Normal Activity

This is and activity similar to the COMBI. However, units

arriving at this element begin processing immediately and
are not delayed.

Queue Node

This element precedes all COMI activities and provides a

location at which units are delayed pending combination.
Delay statistics are measured at this element.

Function Node

Accumulator

Arc

It is inserted into the model to perform special function

such as counting, consolidation, marking, and statistic
collection.

It is used to define the number of times of the system

cycles.

Indicates the logical structure of the model and direction

of entity flow.

Figure 4. Basic MicroCYCLONE Modeling

Elements (Halpin and Riggs, 1992)

Figure 5. Two Production Lines of Hormozghan

Cement Factory Under the Construction

Tables 3. Different productivity values using crane-buckets and pump for concrete
pouring in the case study silo (16 m diameter and 0.5 m thickness).
Jacking Rate
(Cm/h)
10
20
30
40
50
60

Productivity Using Bucket

(M/h)
0.075
0.121
0.151
0.173
0.189
0.202

Productivity Using Pump

(M/h)
0.088
0.158
0.214
0.260
0.299
0.332

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Figure 6. Complete construction process of Row Meal Silo.

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3.
STEEL AND
EMBEDDED
CREW IDLE

QUA 1

4.
EMBEDDED
PARTS
INSTALLATIO
N

\
5.
CON
5

22.

STEEL WORKING
CYCLE

21.
STEEL AT
PLATFORM
GEN 4

1.
READY TO
EMBEDDED
PARTS AND
STEEL
WORKING

20.
CON
4

.\

8.
5 CM
JACKING
9.
GEN
2

11.
CRANE
IDLE

CONCRETE POURING
CYCLE
7.
COMMAND TO
JACKING FROM
CONCRETE
CREW

16.
READY TO
STEEL
LIFTING

15.
CON
20

6.
JACKS
READY TO
LIFT
GEN
60

18.
STEEL
AVAILABLE

19.
STEEL LIFTING

10.
CONCRETE
AVAILABLE

13.
CONCRETE
POURING

12.
CONCRETE
CREW

.\

14.
CON
2

Figure 7. MicroCYCLONE Model for Slip-form Application to Concrete Silo.

Tables 4. Different productivity values using crane-buckets for concrete pouring

Silo diameter and
thickness ft (m)
8 (0.40)
10 (0.40)
12 (0.50)
16 (0.50)
18 (0.60)
20 (0.60)
22 (0.70)
25 (0.70)
28 (0.80)
30 (0.80)

10
0.088
0.086
0.080
0.075
0.069
0.067
0.062
0.059
0.052
0.051

20
0.158
0.150
0.134
0.121
0.106
0.101
0.089
0.088
0.071
0.068

Jacking rate (cm/hr)

30
40
50
0.214 0.261
0.300
0.201 0.241
0.274
0.172 0.201
0.223
0.151 0.173
0.189
0.129 0.145
0.156
0.122 0.136
0.145
0.105 0.114
0.121
0.096 0.104
0.110
0.081 0.087
0.090
0.077 0.082
0.086

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60
0.333
0.301
0.241
0.202
0.165
0.153
0.127
0.114
0.093
0.088

Tables 5. Different productivity values using pump for concrete pouring

Silo diameter and
thickness ft (m)
8 (0.40)
10(0.40)
12(0.50)
16(0.50)
18(0.60)
20(0.60)
22(0.70)
25(0.70)
28(0.80)
30(0.80)

10
0.095
0.093
0.090
0.088
0.085
0.083
0.080
0.078
0.073
0.072

20
0.179
0.174
0.164
0.158
0.147
0.143
0.133
0.128
0.116
0.113

Jacking rate (cm/hr)

30
40
0.255
0.324
0.245
0.308
0.225
0.277
0.214
0.260
0.195
0.232
0.188
0.222
0.171
0.200
0.162
0.188
0.144
0.163
0.139
0.157

50
0.387
0.365
0.321
0.299
0.263
0.250
0.222
0.207
0.178
0.170

60
0.444
0.415
0.360
0.332
0.288
0.273
0.240
0.222
0.189
0.181

Productivity
(M/hr)

Jacking Rate (Cm/hr)

Figure 8. Slip-forming productivity using crane-buckets vs. pump system to pour
concrete for case study silo (24 working hrs/day)

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Silo Inner Diameter

(Thickness in Meters)

Productivity
(M/hr)

Jacking Rate (Cm/hr)

Figure 9. Slip-forming productivity vs. silo diameter using bucket and crane in
concrete pouring (24 working hrs/day)
Silo Inner Diameter
(Thickness in Meters)

Productivity
(M/hr)

Jacking Rate (Cm/hr)

Figure 10. Slip-forming productivity vs. silo diameter using pump in concrete pouring (24 working hrs/day)

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6. Simulation Model Validation

Hormozghan Cement Project had more than twenty towers and silos that were constructed using slipforming technique. Out of these twenty, four Row Meal and four Cement silos were identical; therefore,
slip-forming system that was used in these eight silos was identical too. Data was collected from these
silos considering jacking rates and productivity in meter per hour. Average maximum capable jacking rate
was 30 cm/hr, average productivity was 0 .15 m/hr in which concrete pouring used crane and bucket. By
applying the developed model in current research to this case study results in average productivity of
0.15121 m/hr (Standard deviation of 0.00034 and 95% confidence interval limits are 0.15113 and 0.15127)
as shown in Table 3 and Figure 8. Based on this case study, the developed model shows robust results
with 99% validation.

7. Conclusion and Further Studies

Current research designs a productivity model for slip-form application to concrete silos using simulation.
This model considers several factors that affect productivity, such as jacking rates, pouring method, silo
diameter and thickness, and concrete setting time. Several charts are developed to determine productivity
of slip-forms considering different silo diameter, and concrete pouring methods. The model is validated
and shows robust results. The developed model is essential to practitioners and researchers because it
provides practitioners with a planning and scheduling tool for their slip-form operation in concrete silos. It
can further be used in bid estimating process. On the other hand, it provides researchers with a simulation
model that is flexible enough to modify and add more features to it in order to enhance its capabilities.

8. Acknowledgment
The authors would like to extend their appreciation to Samarah Construction Co., particularly Mr. Ahmad
Keshavarz (project engineer), Project manager and construction manager of Hormozghan cement factory
project for his great help and professional advice in current research.

9. References
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Anon 1987. Concrete. Indian Concrete Journal, April, 61(4): 85-86.
Betterham, R.G. 1980. Slip-form Concrete. New York: Longman publisher,.
Biswas, A. 1976. Vertical Slip-form. Indian Concrete Journal, December, 50(12): 360-362.
Elazouni, A. M.; Nosair, I. A.; Mohieldin, Y. A.; and Mohamed, A. G. 1997. Estimating Resource
Requirements at Conceptual Design Stage Using Neural Networks. J. of Computing in Civil
Engineering, October, 11(4): 217-223.
Hanna 1998. Concrete Formwork Systems. New York: Marcel Dekker.
Halpin, D. W., and Riggs, L. S. 1992. Planning and analysis of construction operations. New York: Wiley.
Hurd, M. K. 1990. Self-lifting forms shape building cores. Concrete Construction, Feb., 35(2): 215 -219.
Hurd, M. K. 1995. Formwork for Concrete. Special Publication no. 4, American Concrete Institute.
Jaafari, A.; Kew, Y. C.; and Yeoh, C. K. 1989. Alternative Methods for Construction of Vertically-Formed
Concrete Structures. Institution of Engineers, Australia, Civil Engineering Transactions, May, CE31(1):
54-62.
Peurifoy, R., Oberlander, G. 1996. Formwork for Concrete structures. 3rd Ed. New York: McGraw- Hill.
Pruitt, J. D. 1987. Slip-forming of Atlanta's IBM Tower. Concrete Construction, April, 32(4):345-349.
Ratary, R. T. 1980. Handbook of Temporary Structures in Construction. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Risser, B. 1995. Advances in Vertical Slip-Form Construction. Aberdeen's Concrete Construction,
October, 40(10): 4.
Zayed, T. and Halpin, D. 2001. Simulation Of Concrete Batch Plant Production. J. Of Construction
Engineering. And Management, ASCE, April, 127(2): 132-141.

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