Systemized Structural Predesign Method for Selective Racks
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 12
Abstract
This paper presents a simplified stability-based method for practical structural predesign of down-aisle unbraced frames of selective racks. Given the uniformity of actual racks, only a single upright and its adjoining half beams were modeled, discretized with two-dimensional (2D) beam elements; the flexibility of the upright–beam and upright–floor connections was represented with linear springs. Such a model is used for linear buckling and second-order analyses. The proposed method consists of iteratively resizing the structural members according to cost and stability criteria (linear buckling analysis) until the serviceability limit state (SLS) and ultimate limit state (ULS) are satisfied (second order analysis). Specific procedures were developed to accelerate the computations. Two practical examples were analyzed to assess the performance of the proposed method. Compared with conventional design approaches for racks, the method was faster, and resulted in less-expensive structures. The simplification involved in the single-column consideration is sufficiently accurate. Some ideas about efficient methods of improving the stability of racks were presented.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
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. 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.
References
AISI (American Iron and Steel Institute). 2016. North American specification for the design of cold-formed steel structural members. AISI S100-16. Washington, DC: AISI.
Bernuzzi, C., A. Gobetti, G. Gabbianelli, and A. Rosti. 2016. “Beam design for steel storage racks.” J. Const. Steel Res. 116 (Jan): 156–172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2015.09.007.
Bernuzzi, C., A. Gobetti, G. Gabbianelli, and M. Simoncelli. 2014. “Warping influence on the resistance of uprights in steel storage pallet racks.” J. Const. Steel Res. 101 (Oct): 224–241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2014.05.014.
Bernuzzi, C., A. Gobetti, G. Gabbianelli, and M. Simoncelli. 2015. “Simplified approaches to design medium-rise unbraced steel storage pallet racks. I: Elastic buckling analysis.” J. Struct. Eng. 141 (11): 04015036. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001271.
Bonada, J., M. Casafont, F. Roure, and M. M. Pastor. 2018. “Introduction of sectional constraints in a first-order GBT formulation for open-cross sections.” In Proc., 8th Int. Conf. on Thin-Walled Structures. Lisboa, Portugal: Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa.
Casafont, M., J. Bonada, M. M. Pastor, F. Roure, and A. Susin. 2017. “Linear buckling analysis of perforated cold-formed steel storage rack columns by means of the generalised beam theory.” Int. J. Struct. Stab. Dyn. 18 (1): 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219455418500049.
CEN (European Committee for Standardisation). 2002. Basis of structural design. EN 1990. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.
CEN (European Committee for Standardisation). 2004. Design of steel structures. Part 1–5: Plated structural elements. EN 1993-1-5. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.
CEN (European Committee for Standardisation). 2005. Design of steel structures—Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings. EN 1993-1-1. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.
CEN (European Committee for Standardisation). 2008. Steel static storage systems—Adjustable pallet racking—Tolerances, deformations and clearances. EN 15620. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.
CEN (European Committee for Standardisation). 2009. Steel static storage system—Adjustable pallet racking systems—Principles for structural design. EN 15512. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.
CEN (European Committee for Standardisation). 2016a. Steel static storage systems—Adjustable pallet racking systems—Principles for seismic design. EN 16681. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.
CEN (European Committee for Standardisation). 2016b. Steel static storage systems—Adjustable pallet racking systems—Principles for structural design. prEN 15512. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.
CEN (European Committee for Standardisation). 2019. Design of steel structures—Part 1–3: General rules and rules—Supplementary rules for cold-formed members and sheeting (draft). EN 1993-1-3. Brussels, Belgium: CEN.
Cheng, B., and Z. Y. Wu. 2015. “Simplified method for calculating the lateral stiffness of drive-in storage racks.” Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr. 21 (1): 04015008. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SC.1943-5576.0000266.
Crosbie, M. W. J. 1998. “The design and analysis of static pallet racking systems.” Master’s thesis, Sheffield Hallam Univ.
Farkas, J., and K. Jarmai. 2013. Optimum design of steel structures. Berlin: Springer.
Godley, M. H. R. 2002. “The behaviour of drive-in storage structures.” In Proc., Int. Specialty Conf. on Cold-Formed Steel Structures. Rolla, MO: Missouri Univ. of Science and Technology.
Hua, V., and K. Rasmussen. 2006. The behaviour of drive-in racks under horizontal impact load. Camperdown, NSW: School of Civil Engineering Sydney, Univ. of Sydney.
Liu, M. 2015. “Fast procedure for practical member sizing optimization of steel moment frames.” Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr. 20 (4): 04014042. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SC.1943-5576.0000240.
Manickarajah, D., M. Xie, and G. Steven. 2000. “Optimisation of columns and frames against buckling.” Comput. Struct. 75 (1): 45–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0045-7949(99)00082-6.
Mueller, M., M. Liu, and S. Burns. 2002. “Fully stressed design of frame structures and multiple load paths.” J. Struct. Eng. 128 (6): 806–814. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9445(2002)128:6(806).
Nocedal, J., and S. J. Wright. 2006. Numerical optimization. 2nd ed. New York: Springer.
Perelmuter, A., and V. Slivker. 2001. “The problem of interpretations of the stability analysis results.” In Proc., European Conf. on Computational Mechanics. Cracow, Poland: Dept. of Technical Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences Polish Association for Computational Mechanics Cracow Univ. of Technology.
Sena, F., and K. Rasmussen. 2016. “Finite element (FE) modelling of storage rack frames.” J. Const. Steel Res. 126 (Nov): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2016.06.015.
Szalai, J. 2010. “Use of eigenvalue analysis for different levels of stability design.” In Proc., SDSS‘Rio 2010 Stability and Ductility of Steel Structures. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Coppe/Federal Univ. of Rio De Janeiro.
Tilburgs, K. 2013. “Those peculiar structures in cold-formed steel: ‘Racking & shelving’.” Steel Const. Des. Res. 6 (2): 95–106. https://doi.org/10.1002/stco.201310016.
Trouncer, A., and K. Rasmussen. 2016. “Ultra-light gauge steel storage rack frames. Part 2—Analysis and design considerations of second order effects.” J. Const. Steel Res. 124 (Sep): 37–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2016.05.015.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 4, 2019
Accepted: Jul 7, 2020
Published online: Sep 24, 2020
Published in print: Dec 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Feb 24, 2021
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.