Why is rock salt, which is used to salt highways, stored in buildings that are coned shaped?
You see these buildings along major highways in the snow areas. [ODOT] Building for storing highway rock salt in Ohio. A: “I just opened your E-mail and was amazed at the question,” says Larry Sutherland, Deputy Director, Office of Roadway Engineering Services, Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). Savvy USATODAY.com readers astonish authorities again. Soon Brian Cunningham of ODOT calls with the answer. We make those buildings strong, he says, to support the enormous weight of the rock salt. First we construct a round base, similar to a tuna-fish can, out of concrete or concrete blocks. The can shape distributes pressure exerted by the salt evenly; there are no corners to get undue pressure. That’s why we choose round designs, says Sutherland, over the traditional block or rectangular building. Then we build a cone roof to shelter the rock salt from the elements, continues Cunningham. It’s cone-shaped because that’s the form salt takes when you pour it in. We load the salt through
