Water Tank Balcony Guard
Water Tank Balcony Guard
(OP)
thread507-326187: Elevated Water Tank - Catwalk Guardrail
I am assessing a water tank balcony guardrail for added load from proposed wireless antenna and other related equipment. As referenced in the thread above, I also beleive the balcony guardrail is a truss spanning between water tower legs These are the only points where the balcony is supported. I am looking for any reference material that can confirm or dispute this assumption. AWWA D100-11 addresses the applied design loads to the top rail, but not the support of the balcony and rails. Any help is appreciated.
I am assessing a water tank balcony guardrail for added load from proposed wireless antenna and other related equipment. As referenced in the thread above, I also beleive the balcony guardrail is a truss spanning between water tower legs These are the only points where the balcony is supported. I am looking for any reference material that can confirm or dispute this assumption. AWWA D100-11 addresses the applied design loads to the top rail, but not the support of the balcony and rails. Any help is appreciated.






RE: Water Tank Balcony Guard
(out of curiosity) how big are the antennas? Usually they are pretty light and there are a couple different ways to justify this situation.
EIT
www.HowToEngineer.com
RE: Water Tank Balcony Guard
RE: Water Tank Balcony Guard
EIT
www.HowToEngineer.com
RE: Water Tank Balcony Guard
I assume the antennas are two to four in each of in three sectors distributed around the tower, weighing 50# or less each including the mounts to the rail. Usually this is not much of a problem.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Water Tank Balcony Guard
RE: Water Tank Balcony Guard
Have you tried contacting the manufacturer for whatever information or guidance they have?
Have you tried Google Streetview for pictures of the tank?
Can you add the antenna at a leg location?
FYI, water towers are usually fairly conservatively designed (more so than buildings), but a lot of times, when stuff like this gets added on, nobody checks it, either, they just stick it on there. It increases the weight and the wind load.
RE: Water Tank Balcony Guard
I know for a fact that telecom companies pay big money for these spaces, so they should make sure the engineering approach is sound.
RE: Water Tank Balcony Guard
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering