Simplified Modeling for the Seismic Performance Assessment of Automated Rack-Supported Warehouses
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 11
Abstract
A reduced-order modeling approach is proposed for the linear and nonlinear analysis of automated rack-supported warehouse (ARSW) structures under seismic loads. Steel ARSWs are massive structures that employ traditional racking configurations to support both the stored pallets and the external cladding shell. Capturing all the structural details of an ARSW requires tens or hundreds of thousands of elements, leading to complex numerical models that are analyzed with difficulty even in the linear range and are clearly unsuitable for nonlinear analysis. Thus, despite being prolific in earthquake-prone areas, their true seismic behavior remains largely untested. As a viable compromise between fidelity and low computational cost, we offer instead a reduced-order model that relies on the substitution of the one or more built-up columns (i.e., upright frames) with equivalent Timoshenko beam-column elements and two-node link elements. The resulting model can support both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) elastic and inelastic analyses, offering a powerful tool for the seismic assessment of ARSWs and of complex structures comprising built-up columns in general.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request: Case study 2 models, data, and all respective code. Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are proprietary or confidential in nature and may only be provided with restrictions: Case study 1 models and data.
Acknowledgments
This research is cofinanced by Greece and the European Union [European Social Fund (ESF)] through the Operational Programme Human Resources Development, Education and Lifelong Learning in the context of the project “Strengthening Human Resources Research Potential via Doctorate Research” (MIS-5000432), implemented by the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY). Moreover, the authors acknowledge the support of the European Commission through the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) Project STEELWAR, under Grant Agreement No. 754102.
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Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 11 • November 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 30, 2020
Accepted: Jun 14, 2021
Published online: Sep 1, 2021
Published in print: Nov 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Feb 1, 2022
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