Articles & News
Articles & News
- Posted on
- by Rebecca Pyper
Dome Technology has published its 2021 annual report highlighting bright spots in business and the companyโs upward trajectory. Some of […]
Dome Technology has published its 2021 annual report highlighting bright spots in business and the companyโs upward trajectory.
Some of the reportโs highlights are listed below:
- The company is now collaborating with Japanese company Kajima to build industrial and commercial domes in Japan.
- Dome Technologyโs fabrication team has broken its own record for projects completed in a single year.
- Repeat customer American Crystal Sugar hired Dome Technology to build a second sugar DomeSilo in Montgomery, Illinois, USA. The project includes adapting existing infrastructure to provide rail loadout and building a large tube gallery to connect an existing bucket elevator to the new dome.
- Two domes are under construction for cement supplier Bridgesource in Ogden, Utah, USA.
- The team tackled 18 construction projects and 20 engineering projects in 2021. See the breakdown by sector on page four of the report.
Access the full annual report here.
- Posted on
- by Rebecca Pyper
A project summary documenting Dome Technologyโs recent grain-storage project with agricultural-commodities leader Gavilon is available now. In August 2021 Gavilon […]
A project summary documenting Dome Technologyโs recent grain-storage project with agricultural-commodities leader Gavilon is available now.
In August 2021 Gavilon completed its first season with a new DomeSilo capable of storing 1.37 million bushels in Shelburn, Indiana. The dome replaced use of ground piles, allowing the company to reduce labor demand, maximize mix and blend opportunities, and better protect product. Soybeans were stored in the DomeSilo for 11 months, during which the interior temperature was well managed; in July, for example, product temps in the bottom quarter of the dome were 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
For more information about the dome, including size and capacity, click here.
- Posted on
- by Rebecca Pyper
Value engineering helps Dome Technology do more than build a storage structure. The team assists customers in growing businesses by […]
Value engineering helps Dome Technology do more than build a storage structure. The team assists customers in growing businesses by implementing advanced ideas to store and move products within a required timeframe. Each project receives individual attention from engineers, and engineers develop design to meet specific customer needs.
With front-end engineering design (FEED), the companyโs design-build team quickly provides preliminary engineering and identifies equipment within an acceptable plus-or-minus margin so customers can determine if a projectโs scope fits within budget.
This type of FEED study happens before a project is engineered or constructed. Engineers try to identify every necessity upfront, determine costs, and work with the customer and contractor to develop the ideal plan. FEED studies also save companies on very detailed engineering costs because the service is built into the project.
Many construction companies will complete a FEED study for a potential customer, but Dome Technology takes it a step further with value engineering, a refined process that follows initial engineering for a project. While working closely with the customer to understand needs and concerns, Dome Technologyโs engineers analyze the project to propose innovative, cost-saving ways to accomplish tasks.
For instance, if a company were storing fly ash, engineers would refine a plan to include specialized material handling that prevents poor flow, bridging and rat-holing; they would also recommend monitoring systems that help ensure a dry, stable interior climate. Dome Technologyโs team may even provide solutions and innovations new to the customer.
The team also capitalizes on infrastructure and considers possible expansion. That might mean conveyor supports sharing a foundation with the dome, yielding greater stability and support plus substantial construction savings. Or it might mean building a ramp that will work for todayโs dome but is also designed to function with a future adjacent dome. By seeing the potential, engineers incorporate anticipated growth into todayโs design.
- Posted on
- by Rebecca Pyper
Indiana Ready Mixed Concrete Association has recognized Dome Technologyโs current clinker-dome project for Lehigh Hanson in Mitchell, Indiana, with an […]
Indiana Ready Mixed Concrete Association has recognized Dome Technologyโs current clinker-dome project for Lehigh Hanson in Mitchell, Indiana, with an outstanding concrete award.
The dome is 220 feet in diameter and 160 feet tall. Storage capacity will max out at 169,000 metric tons; three on-grade reclaim tunnels will achieve 82 percent live reclaim. โItโs a colossal project. Itโs going to be one of our bigger domes as far as storage capacity,โ said Dome Technology sales manager Lane Roberts.
This is the 29th year IRMCA has presented concrete achievement awards, and winners are selected by a group of non-IRMCA member judges, often engineers and construction-industry experts. Awards are given in numerous categories, and a typical year produces about 50 submissions with 20 awards, said IRMCA promotions manager Chad Montgomery.
Irving Materials, Inc., the cement supplier on the project, submitted the dome project for consideration with help from HeidelbergCement director of project engineering Kevin Cove. Lehigh Hanson is a division of HeidelbergCement.
- Posted on
- by Rebecca Pyper
Dome Technology is collaborating with Japanese company Kajima to build industrial and commercial domes in Japan. In March 2020 the […]
Dome Technology is collaborating with Japanese company Kajima to build industrial and commercial domes in Japan.
In March 2020 the first Japanese office building using the dome-construction method was built at Kajimaโs Seisho Experimental Field in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Based on its success, the dome method was applied in June 2021 to begin a storage project in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The structure, with a diameter of 27.5 meters, a height of 28 meters, and a 10,000-ton storage capacity, will be completed in December 2022.
According to Kajima leadership, the company plans to expand its utilization of dome-construction methods to a variety of buildings including arenas. The Kajima press release is available at the links below and here.
The contents (price, specifications, service contents, etc.) described in the press release are as of the date of announcement. Please note that it is subject to change without notice.
- Posted on
- by Rebecca Pyper
The dome is natureโs perfectly strong shape, and its geometry yields an unusually strong manmade structure. Once the foundation system […]
The dome is natureโs perfectly strong shape, and its geometry yields an unusually strong manmade structure. Once the foundation system is established, a ring beam foundation is constructed at ground level to form the foundation for the dome structure above. Tunnels too are constructed as needed for the material-handling processes of the dome storage.
The PVC airform, custom sized based on the customersโ specifications, is bolted to the ring beam and inflated, forming the exterior dome shape; the fabric will remain in place indefinitely as it becomes the outer waterproofing membrane.
With the airform inflated, polyurethane foam insulation is applied to the inside. Premat steel reinforcing is placed, creating a grid across the entire dome surface and providing initial strength to the structure. Concrete is placed using the shotcrete method.
To meet the United States need for safety shelters, Dome Technology has constructed multiple emergency shelters in the United States, which must meet stringent Federal Emergency Management Agency requirements, including the ability to withstand projectiles and their impact force. A dome can resist high impact loads without requiring interior beams. In addition, the dome can resist high external loads like wind from a natural disaster, where other types of storage buildings like flat storage would likely need to be repaired or replaced.
In comparison, a large span on a silo can be very expensive because it is generally built with a beam or truss system. Similarly, a flat storage roof is constructed of a beam or truss system that does not tolerate large loads as efficiently as a dome.
Want more information about our construction methods? Reach out to a member of our sales team.
- Posted on
- by Rebecca Pyper
Dome Technology engineers never really take a break. The in-house team is involved from the very beginning of every project, […]
Dome Technology engineers never really take a break.
The in-house team is involved from the very beginning of every project, starting with collaboration during sales calls and coordination meetings. Once a contract is set, engineers transition to strategizing how best to build the project, what materials to use, and what size dome is best.
During construction, engineers provide direction to crews in the field, but communication goes both ways; crews share feedback on project execution, and their suggestions are applied to upcoming design work and shared with sales managers to shape a more preemptive approach with future work.
Having an engineer work on a dome project from day one yields an important benefit: optimization. According to Dome Technology engineer Zane Wells, the in-house engineering team is especially good at layout, general arrangement, and โlooking at the whole process and how everything fits together.โ Details like conveyance and monitoring systems are ironed out in the design.
The focus on value engineering never lets up. Throughout construction, engineers seek to discover new ways to enhance every project. โAs problems come up in the field, we are coming up with innovative solutions,โ Wells said, adding that heightened collaboration helps the team anticipate how they can build the most value into every project and prevent potential future problems.
โWe are able to deliver a better product (and) more value to the customer because we are able to take the whole project and be involved in every step of the way. That helps us be able to deliver a more complete package,โ Wells said.
- Posted on
- by Rebecca Pyper
Dome Technology has built and installed a large tube gallery that connects an existing bucket elevator to the new DomeSilo […]
Dome Technology has built and installed a large tube gallery that connects an existing bucket elevator to the new DomeSilo for American Crystal Sugar in Montgomery, Illinois, USA, which will allow the company to optimize conveyance and protect product integrity.
Built in the Dome Technology shop in Idaho Falls, the steel tubes are 13.5 feet in diameter for ease of maintenance and extend 160 feet to connect the bucket elevator to the new DomeSilo. The first dome was built in 2017, and the second is under construction.
The tube gallery is essential to the project because it helps keep the temperature and moisture levels consistent during conveyance. โAs itโs being transported, it protects the sugar. Thatโs the benefitโitโs 100 percent protected from the elements,โ Dome Technology sales manager Daren Wheeler said.
According to Wheeler, fabrication of the round tube gallery requires precision, and bids from outside manufacturers were cost prohibitive. The project was moved to the Dome Technology shop as a cost-saving measure and also allowed the team to oversee quality control. โIt was pretty technical, and it speaks a lot for where we are going with fabrication out there,โ he said.
The tubesโ exteriors were finished with insulated paint. Loaded with tiny ceramic discs, this paint boosts insulation values and was a customer request. The gallery was installed in 18 hours.
Dome Technology is equipped to provide the full package for customers from concept to completion, which is demonstrated in the current ACS project, Dome Technology CEO Bradley Bateman said.
- Posted on
- by Rebecca Pyper
The jobs keep rolling for Dome Technology. Here is an update on some current projects: Two DomeSilos for Bridgesource, a […]
The jobs keep rolling for Dome Technology. Here is an update on some current projects:
Two DomeSilos for Bridgesource, a division of Clyde Companies, have been built in Ogden, Utah, USA, and work is continuing inside on specialized systems. Fly ash will be pneumatically conveyed to one of two domes, the centerpiece of the storage facility. Each dome is 108 feet in diameter and 120 feet tall with a capacity of 25,000 short tons each. Reclaim will be 99 percent live with a DCL aerated floor system and side discharge. The DomeSilos will also be capable of transitioning to cement storage if necessary.
Dome Technology is wrapping up construction on two salt-storage domes for a client that utilizes eleven salt-storage facilities along the many miles of roadway it maintains in the northern United States. These new domes are identical to one built last year for the company. Working with repeat customers is a luxury Dome Technology often enjoys and is a testament to the teamโs efforts in building solid client relationships.
Dome Technology recently completed a wood-pellet project in the southern United States. This new facility includes two storage domes standing 90 feet in diameter and 135 feet tall. Both can store 10,000 metric tons apiece and are designed with a live reclaim floor, which will help optimize operational costs, said sales manager Lane Roberts. Product will be reclaimed on a first in, first out basis, and the domes have state-of-the-art safety systems, including aeration and nitrogen, heat sensors, and gas-monitoring sensors.
Construction is underway for repeat customer American Crystal Sugarโs new DomeSilo in Montgomery, Illinois. This dome, with a capacity of 60,000 metric tons, is being built adjacent to an existing dome from a previous collaboration between the companies. The new dome is 184 feet in diameter and 146 feet tall, similar in size to the DomeSilo Dome Technology built for the company in 2017. Fabrication of the tube gallery, which extends between the domes, was completed in the Dome Technology shop located on the same campus as company headquarters.
Dome Technology is also busy with two overseas projects, including one on a remote island in the Indian ocean.
- Posted on
- by Rebecca Pyper
Grain companies looking to increase storage at existing sites can maximize their investment by selecting a DomeSilo from Dome Technology. […]
Grain companies looking to increase storage at existing sites can maximize their investment by selecting a DomeSilo from Dome Technology.
Domes provide ideal conditions for grain and safeguard against insects, birds, pests, and weather to ensure top-level food-grade storage. Dome Technology pioneered the reinforced-concrete dome concept 40 years ago. This DomeSilo is essentially a cylinder-shaped reinforced-concrete structure with a dome-shaped roof. Based on innovative construction methods, no seams are present. Since wheat, corn, canola, soybeans, and the like are sensitive to moisture and temperature changes, an airtight structure that wards off water and controls the interior environment is the best way to ensure quality control. That level of protection is made possible by the seamless or monolithic dome shell.
These domes are designed to store more product in a smaller footprint, even when compared to silos. A siloโs traditional conical roof cannot support product, so the entire interior cannot be used for storage. Because the hemispherical geometry of a dome renders strength at all points of the structure, the entire interior can be used to contain product. In addition, the curved design can double or triple the capacity of any existing circle ground pile with the same footprint or be designed with tall sidewalls to replace or add bin space to an upright facility.
A dome staves off boundary issues other structures face thanks to its construction materials. First, the airform covering the entire dome prevents water and moisture from seeping in. Secondly, the combination of waterproof membrane, reinforced concrete shell, and continuous layer of polyurethane foam prevents extreme interior temperature fluctuation; these features reduce heating and cooling of the walls and air inside, preventing condensation.
To complement the protection provided by the shell, grain domes are commonly equipped with monitors and sensors for detecting temperature changes and the presence of carbon dioxide. Blowers near the apex and at the ground level provide aeration for optimal storage conditions.