Storage Rack Live Load

[surjaan]

Are any Live Load requirements in the code regarding the dead load or live load for the free standing storage rack in the warehouse? My client has couple of racks for storing very light computer parts and the city has asked him to provide seismic anchorage.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

I always thought the engineer specified the rack design load and had it POSTED on the racks.

Then any wind (doubtful) or seismic (probably) were then considered.

 

[asixth]

The code has a minimum design action for light storage floors. Doesn't take into consideration the height of storage.

Australian codes specifies a minimum live load:

Mobile stacking, mechanically operated heavy shelving (wheels on rails e.g. compactus)

4.0kPa for each metre of storage height but not less than 10.0kPa. Concentrated actions to be calculated

Remember that the code specifications are a MINIMUM, if you make an assessment and think the live loads are higher than specified in the code then you need to design for that.

Remember when dealing with this type of loading that the load is real, it is suspended several meters in the air. It is not like the nominal 3.0kPa design load on an office slab which has a small chance of being exceeded in a very long interval of time. The storage load will be there everyday.