Storage Rack Loading Calculation

Dear Forgetful,

There are two parallel workflows:

1. Defining the overall geometry of your structure:

1.1 Column grids and levels

1.2 preliminary spatial arrangement of columns, beams, horizontal and vertical braces, orientation of columns and hence predominant direction of moment frames and vertical bracing bay - vertical bracing continued to the top of the structure at all grids.

2. Defining load cases and reasonable load combinations:

2.1 Self-Weight (including the decks and permanent fixtures if any)

2.2 Main Live Load - Maximal Storage weight - if you are planning continuous beams, investigate different combinations of loaded and unloaded bays and find the worst case. Account for dynamic impacts during loading (by introducing additional factor)

2.3 Forklift and/or other loading devices

2.4 if your structure is outside - Climatic Loads (mostly Wind) -

Snow - if your country have snow

Sand - if your country have sandstorms

2.5 Seismic Load - if it is a seismic zone - conduct 'Static Equivalent Force Procedure' to obtain static lateral forces at every level of the rack.

2.6 Seasonal Thermal expansion/contraction - if your rack is longer then 30m without thermal breaks

For Load Combinations and load factors look in the Building Code (or the Structural Standard) of your country.

I apologize if my answer was rather academic than practical but your question was too generic.

Could you be more specific? What's your country? What's overall dimensions of your structure? How many levels? For what this storage is designed? Inside or outside?

Best Regards,

Len

This is totaly vauge question. You should give full particulars like items to be stored,weight, if palletised, height of ceiling, handling equipment to be used etc.