Installing a shelter on existing concrete walls – how do you do this safely and according to standards?

We often hear from companies that they already have concrete walls in place before approaching us for a shelter. A bunkersilo shelter is not only practical for keeping materials such as sand, rubble or wood chips dry; increasingly, such a shelter is also needed to meet various safety and environmental requirements.

This raises the question: Does a shelter fit on the existing wall, and is the construction strong enough according to standards such as EN 1990/1991 and the Building Decree?

Does the shelter fit my concrete wall?

Most walls are built from Lego blocks or mega blocks, which are ideal for bulk storage such as sand, rubble, wood or raw materials. It is important, however, to take accurate measurements beforehand:

• Check the distance between the walls, both at the bottom and the top, to rule out any misalignment.

• Make sure the top surface is level so the base rails can align properly and the anchors can be securely installed.

If you are unsure, no problem. We are happy to think along with you.

You can find more practical tips in our blog Installing a bunkersilo shelter on concrete: a practical guide.

Is the wall strong enough for bulk material and a shelter?

A concrete wall that safely retains bulk material faces a different type of load once a shelter is placed on top of it. You then have to consider:

• the weight of the structure

• the lateral pressure from the stored material

• wind and snow loads according to the applicable standards

For the shelter itself, the European standard EN 13782 applies. For concrete constructions, the Eurocodes EN 1990/1991 apply. Together they ensure that your installation can be used safely and responsibly.

Our advice

We do not automatically recommend carrying out a structural stability analysis in every situation, but we do find it important that you know exactly what to expect. That is why we:

• assess the situation together with you

• help determine whether calculations are necessary

• can refer you to a specialist such as Concrete Block Engineers

A recent example is a project involving a 15 × 12-metre Kroftman arch-roof shelter placed on 5.6-metre-high walls. An independent analysis was carried out with four scenarios: sand, sand with a lower fill height, wood chips and wood chips with a lower fill height. The result was extra certainty and a construction that will perform reliably for many years.

Would you like to see what such an analysis looks like in practice? We can share the structural calculation of this 15 x 12 metre shelter with you. Feel free to ask, and we will send you an example.

Installation

If the concrete walls are suitable, installation is surprisingly fast. With our Kroftman concrete anchors, you create a strong and dependable base.

With every shelter, you receive a buildbook in accordance with EN 13782, including:

• structural calculations

• drawings

• all technical details

This ensures you know exactly what to expect.

Want to be certain about the strength of your wall?

If you would like an independent assessment, we work closely with Concrete Block Engineers. They can quickly and expertly determine whether your walls form the right foundation.

Feel free to ask us for previous calculations or examples. We are happy to share them.