Stainless Steel Grill
Stainless Steel Grill
(OP)
I have been asked to design a 7'w x 6'h decorative grill composed of 3/4"x3/4" stainless steel tubes (36 ksi) designed for a wind pressure of 85 psf. The horizontal 7'-0" long tubing is rotated 45 degrees, spaced at 2.35" o/c & welded to a angle metal frame at the perimeter. Some grills will be placed in front of louvers while just in front of a false louver (wall) at other locations. Does anyone have any thoughts on design criteria including how the wind load acts against the angle at 45 degrees, deflection criteria, vibrations concerns? I have the options of using 1/16" or 1/8" thick tubes and possibly interrupting the horizontal members with slender vertical bars that are only one inch deep but the architect would rather not. Thanks!






RE: Stainless Steel Grill
The thing with screens like yours is that the wind pressure is tough to determine with all the little holes in it - is it the ASCE 7 loading on the projected area?
I'm not so sure - seems like the turbulence would almost make for a pseudo-solid screen behavior with wind pressure. Plus someone somewhere will put a solid tarp or banner across it and then what do you have? A sail.
RE: Stainless Steel Grill
Be careful about sound and vibration. You might have to foam-fill the pickets to cut down resonant vibration and the wind, and low wind speeds might cause "whistling".
Do a mock-up and put it in front of a large fan to check whistling effect.
RE: Stainless Steel Grill