Structural Analysis of Warehouse Rack Construction for Heavy Loads

In this study rack systems that are structural storage units of warehouses have been analyzed as structural with Finite Element Method (FEA). Each cell of discussed rack system storages pallets which have from 800 kg to 1000 kg weights and 0.80x1.15x1.50 m dimensions. Under this load, total deformations and equivalent stresses of structural elements and principal stresses, tensile stresses and shear stresses of connection elements have been analyzed. The results of analyses have been evaluated according to resistance limits of structural and connection elements. Obtained results have been presented as visual and magnitude.

Authors:

• C. Kozkurt
• A. Fenercioglu
• M. Soyaslan

Keywords:

• warehouse
• structural analysis
• AS/RS
• FEM
• FEA

References:

[1] P. Prabha , V. Marimuthu, M. Saravanan and S. A. Jayachandran,
"Evaluation of connection flexibility in cold formed steel racks,"
Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol.66, pp. 863-872, 2010.
[2] X. Zhao and J. Meng, "Three-Dimensional Finite Element Analysis
Shelves," Applied Mechanics and Materials, vols. 117-119, pp. 639-
642, 2011.
[3] Y. Xie and Y. Huang, "FEA of heavy weight shelving based on
ANSYS," Mechanical Research & Application, no. 5, pp. 85-86, 2005.
[4] K. J. R. Rasmussen and B. P. Gilbert, "Dynamic Analysis of 2-D And 3-
D Cold Formed Storage Rack," School of Civil Engineering, The
University of Sydney, Research Report R908, April 2010, Sydney,
Australia, pp.1-17.
[5] A. V. Harte and D. Mc Cann, "Finite element modeling of the semirigid
behavior of pultruded FRP connections," Journal of Materials
Processing Technology, vol. 119, pp.98-103, 2001.
[6] ANSYS Workbench 13.0 Help, MechanicalAPDL // Theory Reference
// 2. Structures
[7] A. Fenercioglu, M. Soyaslan and C. Kozkurt, "Automatic Storage And
Retrieval System (AS/RS) Based On Cartesian Robot For Liquid Food
Industry," in 12th International Workshop on Research and Education
in Mechatronics, September 2011, Kocaeli, Turkey, pp. 283-287.
[8] M. Abdel-Jaber, R. G. Beale and M. H. R. Godley, "A theoretical and
experimental investigation of pallet rack structures under sway,"
Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol. 62, pp. 68-80, 2006.
[9] Y. Zhu, C. Li, "Reliability Study of Beam and Plate Structures on
Stochastic Finite Element Method," in International Conference on
Mechanical and Electrical Technology, September 2010, Singapore,
pp. 714-717.
[10] F.D. Markazi, R.G. Beale, M.H.R. Godley, "Numerical modeling of
semi-rigid boltless connectors," Computers & Structures, vol. 79, pp.
2391-2402, 2001.
[11] M. H. R. Godley, R. G. Beale, X. Feng, "Analysis and design of downaisle
pallet rack structures," Computers and Structures, vol. 77, pp.
391-401, 2000.
[12] I. Elkersh, "Experimental investigation of bolted cold formed steel
frame apex connections under pure moment," Ain Shams Engineering
Journal, vol. 1, pp. 11-20, 2010.
[13] B. Calderoni, A. De Martino, A. Formisano and L. Fiorino "Cold
formed steel beams under monotonic and cyclic loading: Experimental
investigation," Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol. 65 pp.
219-227, 2009.