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Lateral Files floor loading

Lateral Files floor loading

Lateral Files floor loading

(OP)

For checking a floor supporting lateral files, can anyone tell me the weight of a 3'-0 long, 6 drawer high fully loaded lateral file?

RE: Lateral Files floor loading

google told me paper weighs 75 pcf and internet explorer said 133 pcf....plus weight of cabinet.....? Plus some people put things other than paper in their cabinets. Lotsa cabinets can be challenging.

RE: Lateral Files floor loading

The commentary to ASCE 7-10 has some discussion on file cabinets and recommends 150 psf provided a 36" aisle is maintained. See the bottom of page 407 for the assumptions.

RE: Lateral Files floor loading

At 50 pcf for paper, stacked 6 high, 300 to 350 psf locally, but I would be comfortable with 250 psf for the room or area.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)


RE: Lateral Files floor loading

Assume 18" x 42" 6 drawer legal size lateral file cabinet weighing 350 lbs empty

Contents weight assuming 38" available file width with paper at 75 pcf
(6 drawers)(75 pcf)(8.5")(14")(38")/123 = 1180 lbs

Local load at file cabinet
Area = (18")(42")/144 = 5.25 sq ft
Local loading = (350 + 1180)/5.25 = 291 psf

½ of 36" wide aisle with 50 psf live load
Area = (18")(42")/144 = 5.25 sq ft
Load in Aisle Area = (5.25)(50psf) = 262 lbs

Average floor load
(350 + 1180 + 262)/(5.25 + 5.25) = 171 psf

This may be a conservative estimate since it assumes the file cabinet is completely full of paper weighing 75 pcf and aisle fully loaded at 50 psf. And, if you are using strength design, this is multiplied by 1.6 (so ASCE 7's recommendation for 5 drawer file cabinets seems reasonable).

RE: Lateral Files floor loading

Just make sure they aren't using the motorized file cabinets that slide laterally and allow the elimination of any aisles and allow very close packed files.

Jim

RE: Lateral Files floor loading

(OP)
Yes I can make assumptions, but my intent of this post was to find out if anyone knew the weight of lateral filing cabinet and contents. Thanks for the responses, they are much appreciated. I will check the internet to see if any manufacturer gives the cabinet size and weight. I can weigh he contents, but I do not have equipment to weigh the cabinet.

RE: Lateral Files floor loading

(OP)
wannabeSE: your weights are much too high. I know from weighings of various file contents that I have dome over the last 30 years in various offices that it is not anywhere near that heavy. Paper is not packed in at that density. But thanks for the considerable effort that you have gone to in your response. Much appreciated.

RE: Lateral Files floor loading

Actually not. Www.readme.com shows paper at 75 pcf. Allowing for inefficiency in packing the files, the 50 pcf value I mentioned previously is not far from the truth.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)


RE: Lateral Files floor loading

ajk1,
I know 75 psf is very high. For paper storage, the California Building Code specifies 33 pcf for the total volume of a cabinet (footnote n of table 1607A.1 at http://www.ecodes.biz/ecodes_support/free_resource...)

A while back, I evaluated a floor for Times 2 Rotary File Cabinets and the manufacture's literature uses 2.32 pound per inch for letter files and 2.95 pounds per inch for legal files. See page 19 (pdf page 20) at http://www.aurorastorage.com/wp-content/uploads/do...

RE: Lateral Files floor loading

6 drawer cabinet is about 55 inches tall. What does the stuff they stack on top weigh?

Richard A. Cornelius, P.E.
WWW.amlinereast.com

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