ASCE 7-05 Chapter 12-15 Applied to Skid Based Equipment

[pflow]

I am trying to learn about ASCE 7-05 Chapter 12-15 as applied to skid based equipment.

Specifically, the lateral seismic base shear force depends on the non building structure operating weight.

If the skid has a platform live loading requirement of 100 psf, should none, some, or all of this load be considered in the non building structure operating weight for figuring the seismic lateral shear force ?

 

[wannabeSE]

Section 12.7.2 has requirements for including storage live load in the seismic mass. After that, you need to use some judgment. Will the live load significantly contribute to earthquake forces?

 

[pflow]

Thank you for the feedback wannabeSE.

I was reading ASCE 7-05, Section 15.4.3 and it refers to Section 12.7.2 (as you mentioned) to figure out the effective weight W.

In Section 12.7.2, Item 1, it says to use a minimum of 25% of floor live load in areas used for storage. The intention of this may not have been for skid frame based industrial equipment; however, I think it would be reasonable to include 25% of the 100 psf loading. As you mentioned, the question is could this figure into the operating weight. I suppose a crew of people with tools and equipment could be on the skid when there is seismic activity (a probabilistic consideration it looks like). It also seems reasonable to include 20% of snow load per Section 12.7.2, Item 4.

Please let me know if my reasoning makes any sense or not.