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Trench Cover plate for pedestrian Load 1

Joined
May 6, 2025
Messages
6
I am asked to design and detail a flat 3/8" diamond plate with reinforcing to withstand pedestrian loads as a trench cover plate. this plate will sit in a CIP angle frame.
I have not used pedestrian loads before - is it 100psf? Is there a common way these are designed? Would the reinforcement be angles welded underneath the cover plate? Any insight would be great - I know this has to be done often - I just haven't done it before!

Thanks!
 
Depending on application you might simply want to look into road plates to use
 
More info is needed.

What is the standard for loads on this project? ASCE 7?

What is the Occupancy or Use, to use ASCE 7 Table 4.3-1 terminology?
 
Why??

Just buy then. Google pedestrian trench cover.

They make them out of plastic.
Like This



rc0616-plastic-trench-cover_02_jpg.webp
 
It is a government communications building, and they are doing some underground utility trenches, so I am not sure which live load occupancy it is. The electrical engineer is specifying for a delegated engineer to design the trench cover plates for 'pedestrian load'. I think 100psf covers that but if not i will get comments back.
 
Why??

Just buy then. Google pedestrian trench cover.

They make them out of plastic.
Like This



View attachment 15677
This needs to be a steel permanent cover plate flush with the top of slab - it will sit in a depressed steel angle frame.
 
It is a government communications building, and they are doing some underground utility trenches, so I am not sure which live load occupancy it is. The electrical engineer is specifying for a delegated engineer to design the trench cover plates for 'pedestrian load'. I think 100psf covers that but if not i will get comments back.
If given no other info than that, I'd design for 100 psf or 300 lb, representing a pretty big guy standing on it.
 
1753406148846.jpeg
 
There are equations to calculate plate stress for plates supported on four sides in "Design of Weldaments - Blodgett" that I have used for this in the past. The FLRPLATE spreadsheet found here uses the same equations, although it is ASD design. There are also tables 3-18a and 3-18b in the AISC Steel Construction Manual (15th) for this that show max spans under service and strength.

Hope this help, but I do agree with others that getting a plate from a vendor is probably easier.

FYI, 100psf is probably the correct load to use, and the deflection requirements are more lax than your typical L/360; the AISC book has it at L/100.
 
If the plate is going to sit in an embedded angle, then would a piece of grating work? There are lots of span tables available for grating.

Google "Type 19-4 Grating"

1753455412779.png

Also, is this plate (or grating) going to be in a spot accessible by the public? Or in a maintenance area?
 

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