Statue Foundation Design 1

[Jake927]

I typically design houses and small commercial buildings. I am currently designing a life-sized human statue that is connected to a 5'-0" diameter steel base plate plate. The statue connection to the steel plate is by the sculpture designer. The plate will be anchored to the footing with (4) anchor bolts. The footing should not need to be larger than the 5'-0" plate that is already part of the statue. Does anyone have experience with getting the loads for something like a statue? I figure that the controlling load case will be people hanging onto and possibly swinging on the statue. Or if anyone has any general tips on a design like this.

 

[phamENG]

Sounds like you're on the right track. I use sign wind load procedures (assume a rectangle around the statue is solid) to get a lateral load, but a minimum of 200# in case somebody decides to run and jump on it. Seismic if your in a seismic area. Sounds like the thing should be pretty stable, though.

 

[JoelTXCive]

I have my own load case called the "High School Senior Doing Dumb Things" It's a 200lb live load applied for maximum negative effect. I use a 1.6 factor.

Depending on the size and geometry of your sculpture, you might need to apply a multiple presense factor of 1.2

 

[jayrod12]

I have the same load case as Joel, but I apply said dumb thing load at the most unstabilizing location. Hanging off the piece at a 5 foot eccentricity, or pushing straight horizontal at the top.

 

[driftLimiter]

I once visited a college apartment building that I designed in the later hours of a weekend night. I saw what was dubbed a competition to see who could run into a guardrail of a patio the hardest. Do not underestimate the "High School Senior (college freshman) Doing Dumb Things" load combo lol.

I normally would check out the wind and seismic forces, then compare with the kids doing dumb things deal. When in doubt make it stout. There is only one footing if it is a bit oversized no one is going to say anything bad.

 

[XR250]

Unless they decide to run a strap from their car, no single HS student could tip that over.
Honestly, I would not even check the footing other than for shrinkage reinf.

 

[RPGs]

I designed the footing and main steel frame for a basketball hoop themed sculpture once. My controlling lateral load case was wind on a rectangular projection of the whole thing plus an eccentric concentrated load of a 300 lb person dunking on it, because that's immediately what I wanted to do when I saw the rendering.