Experimental Stiffness of Pallet-Type Steel Storage Rack Tier Drop Connectors
Publication: Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 12, Issue 4
Abstract
The down-aisle lateral load-resisting systems of pallet-type steel storage racks are, typically, frames utilizing special beam-to-column moment-resisting connections. The behavior of these connectors is poorly understood, and consequently, there is significant uncertainty as to proper values of connector stiffness and strength to use in design. This technical note presents the results of down-aisle shake table tests performed on steel pallet-type storage racks fabricated from cold-formed sections and incorporating two different teardrop beam-to-column connector systems. This study is a follow up on a previous experimental investigation on bolted beam-to-column connectors by the same authors. The main objectives of the tests were to determine appropriate static load connector rotational stiffness values from measured dynamic characteristics of storage racks under low-amplitude vibrations. The experimental results indicated that the beam-to-upright-connector stiffness values reduce with excitation amplitude. While the connector stiffness decreased significantly during the most intense shaking, it recovered almost all of its initial values at the completion of each test. Unlike the bolted connections, the stiffness recovered immediately without the need for low-level white-noise excitation to “settle in” the connector prior to full recovery of the initial stiffness.
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Acknowledgments
The testing described in this technical note was funded by Ridg-U-Rak, Inc. The writers gratefully acknowledge the work of the Ridg-U-Rak team led by Mr. John Pellegrino, P.E. President and CEO of Ridg-U-Rak, Inc. One of the writers (P.S.H.) served as Supervising Test Engineer on behalf of Ridg-U-Rak. The writers acknowledge the technical staff of the Structural Engineering and Earthquake Simulation Laboratory (SEESL) at the University of Buffalo, particularly Mr. Mark Pitman, Technical Services Manager, for their support during the execution of the tests described in this technical note.
References
Computers and Structures. (2003). SAP2000 nonlinear V. 8.2.6, Computers and Structures, Inc., Berkeley, Calif.
Filiatrault, A., Higgins, P., and Wanitkorkul, A. (2006) “Experimental stiffness and seismic response of pallet-type steel storage rack connectors.” Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr., 11(3), 161–170.
Filiatrault, A., Wanitkorkul, A., and Seo, J.-M. (2005). “Shake table testing of Ridg-U-Rak rigid based and Ridg-U-Rak patent pending base isolated industrial storage racks.” Rep. No. CSEE-SEESL-2005-03, Univ. at Buffalo, State Univ. of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, N.Y.
Ridg-U-Rak. (2006). “Ridg-U-Rak storage system solutions—Ridg-U-Tier II Pallet Rack.” ⟨http://www.ridgurak.com/pallet-rack-storage/ridgutier-pallet-rack.php⟩, North East, Pa.
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Information
Published In
Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 12 • Issue 4 • November 2007
Pages: 210 - 215
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Aug 4, 2006
Accepted: Nov 30, 2006
Published online: Nov 1, 2007
Published in print: Nov 2007
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