I know this issue, or similar, has come up here several times here.
I have an existing below grade vault. W8 beams @ 4'-0" o.c. span from vault wall to wall. 1/2" steel plate runs over the top of the beams. The plate is not secure to the beams very well so I am assuming unbraced (12ft span). The client wants to be able to use a lift truck with a front axle max load of 11.8kips, so say about 6kips per wheel.
The beams don't work but can be reinforced. The plate does not work regardless of any effective width that I assume. My question is what are suggestions for best/cheapest way to deal with this. How thick is reasonable for the plate? Is it realistic to bring in 1" plate to replace what is existing? At what point is plate too thick to be feasible? Better to add intermediate beams at the same time they are reinforcing the existing to cut the span to 2'? Weld stiffeners to underside of plate?
I have an existing below grade vault. W8 beams @ 4'-0" o.c. span from vault wall to wall. 1/2" steel plate runs over the top of the beams. The plate is not secure to the beams very well so I am assuming unbraced (12ft span). The client wants to be able to use a lift truck with a front axle max load of 11.8kips, so say about 6kips per wheel.
The beams don't work but can be reinforced. The plate does not work regardless of any effective width that I assume. My question is what are suggestions for best/cheapest way to deal with this. How thick is reasonable for the plate? Is it realistic to bring in 1" plate to replace what is existing? At what point is plate too thick to be feasible? Better to add intermediate beams at the same time they are reinforcing the existing to cut the span to 2'? Weld stiffeners to underside of plate?
