PCA Tries Semi-Dome Shapes For Storing Bulk Product

A unique feature of Potash Co. of America's A new potash property near Saskatoon, Sask., is the use of semi-dome-shaped buildings for product storage. Four domed structures, timber-framed and corrugated-sheet covered, are being built; each designed to handle 20,000 cu yd. The relatively small capacity units, PCA believes, give flexibility not only in storing different grades and sizes of product, but also in permitting greater ease in shipping products as market demands change. The domed buildings are 150-ft diam, comprised of a 16-ft-high concrete wall base, topped with a metal sheet-covered octagonal timber frame. The dome of each unit is designed to fit very closely the angle of repose of the contained material, which results in the maximum usable volume. The entire roof is flood coated with a bitumin to provide a complete weather seal.