Regarding expanded metal sheets 1

[kaffy]

Good afternoon,

I hope you are well. For one of the catwalk / maintenance platform application, I am considering using expanded metal sheet (attached PDF). I’ve done some research but haven’t found much information on the design of expanded metal. I was wondering if there are any design guides available—similar to those commonly provided for grating and checker plate—that could assist with specifying the appropriate style and size.

Thank you
Kaffy

 

[duckhawk]

Usually the manufacturer of the expanded metal grating will provide design tables that correspond to the types they sell.

It seems like a component that would be analyzed with FEA instead of a design guide, but could be wrong.

I know a certain company that uses expanded metal grating for walking surfaces a lot.

 

[JAE]

We never use expanded grating for a walking/load-bearing surface. Usually use bar grating.

 

[mfgenggear]

it may depend on hieght and application. and cost.

 

[Stick.]

I don't know if this standard has been adopted in any meaningful way or carries any real weight, but it at least has some load and span charts: NAAMM Standard EMMA 557-20

Pay special attention to the note at the bottom of the chart about the welding configuration used for the load tests and how that affects grating capacity. I've also gotten some load and span tables from the expanded metal manufacturer before.

 

[duckhawk]

 

[kaffy]

@duckhawk This is exactly what I’m planning to do. I was wondering — what kind of design guides or tables did you reference to determine the support spacing?

 

[kaffy]

@Stick. Awesome. Thank you very much! Would you mind sharing the name of the manufacturer you worked with who provided the load and span tables? I’ve reached out to a couple of vendors but haven’t received any response so far.

 

[HTURKAK]

API allows the use of expanded metal for catwalks , walkways etc. Copy and paste from API 650 relevant normative clause for data sheets ;
24. Platform, Stairway and Railing:
— Galvanizing Required? (Yes/No)*: Examples are stairways, platforms, and handrails to be galvanized.
Identify components in Remarks, Line 23. See S.2.1.3.
— Stairway Style*: Specify whether straight along a radius or helical.
— Walking Surface Type*: Describe type of walking surface on platform and stairs (e.g. diamond-checkered
pattern plate, bar and rod grating, expanded metal grating, ....

The following doc. provides useful info.

 

[duckhawk]

@duckhawk This is exactly what I’m planning to do. I was wondering — what kind of design guides or tables did you reference to determine the support spacing?

@kaffy - see attached. This is from 2017 and may be outdated, their website should have a current version of this.

 

[azcats]

We build a lot of 2' and 3' wide walkways with the 2.0 psf and 3.14 psf grating (respectively) using reverse diamond grating and spanning the width of the walkways. Doesn't require intermediate support that way. We've seen a few people make them similarly w/o the reverse diamond and they're like walking on a sponge with the diamonds oriented the wrong way.

 

[Stick.]

Expanded Solutions was the one that gave me some load tables, which basically match the McNichols ones that duckhawk posted. They were pretty helpful since I was looking at some more specialized stuff (lighter duty stainless grating that still had a load rating).