×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

350kg on UK floor Question

350kg on UK floor Question

350kg on UK floor Question

(OP)
Hello,

Not sure who to turn to or if this is the correct place to post such a topic :)

I have placed a 300l aquarium on the 4th floor of an apartment building. I am now being told this can cause damage to the structure of the building by the landlord(non engineer), but I am in disagreement as the tank has been there comfortably for a few months. Can someone tell me if this needs further investigation or is it a straight forward yes/no if built to code, should be more than satisfactory.

Please forgive me but this is all the information I have.

-Tank is 300L, I estimate a weight of 350KG with the stand etc.
-It covers an area of 1.23mx0.43m= 0.53m^2 on the floor. on 6 legs that distribute the weight.
-Apartment is in a converted office building based in the UK.
-Floors are made of concrete- unknown thickness.
-Tank is placed in the center perimetor of slab.
-Maxium point load 1.5KN from the landlord, unkown UDL.

If this can not be answered with the limited information, what would the worst case scenario of failure or damage as a result of overloading a raised concrete floor? As the tank has already been there for 3 months with no observed damage, is there a danger of long term damage?

Any help would be appreicated.

RE: 350kg on UK floor Question

Does your landlord have a policy against 3 fat guys hugging each other at the same time?

RE: 350kg on UK floor Question

(OP)
That is exactly what I said!

RE: 350kg on UK floor Question

And don't forget the dynamic load from these guys jumping with joy.

RE: 350kg on UK floor Question

(OP)
Thanks, but can anyone provide anything a little more technical that I can go back to the landlord with.

RE: 350kg on UK floor Question

Quote (skarfish)

Maximum point load 1.5kN from the landlord, unkown UDL.

So you have 350kg (3.4kN) over 6 legs, so 0.57kN point loads per leg. Less than 1.5kN, so okay by the landlord's requirements.

A 1.23m x 0.43m (plan area) tall cabinet filled with plates, crockery, and glassware often exceeds 350kg, so too does a 4-claw cast-iron bath full of water, or a king size water bed (200+ gallons).

A converted office building - depending on the age and occupancy of the office structure - would have had file cabinets full of paper files that probably exceeded 350 kg.

What do you mean when you say "raised concrete floor"? Is there a step in the top of slab surface, like a raised platform made of concrete?

RE: 350kg on UK floor Question

skarfish,

This sounds to me like it is equivalent to a water bed. Water beds are routinely banned in apartment buildings. Are they concerned about the weight, or is it the possibility of water leaking out?

--
JHG

RE: 350kg on UK floor Question

(OP)
Thanks for getting back to me. The concern is weight, they are worried there will be long term structural damage to floor.
The apartment is brand new and so moving from offices to residential use it must comply with building codes. I believe that there shouldn't be an issue at 350kg.

RE: 350kg on UK floor Question

Just point out that your 27 cu. ft. refrigerator weighs 159 kg, empty, and if it's 1/3 filled with stuff with the density of water, or filled with stuff with 1/3rd the density of water, that would be 236 kg, totaling to 395 kg. Obviously, it would weigh even more if it were completely filled. And all that weight is sitting on 4 tiny little casters.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Whirlpool-36-in-W-27-cu...

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers Entire Forum list http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources