Energy Through a Barrel of Liquid 1

[Hitokiri03]

Hello,

I am having a little trouble figuring out how to calculate how much force will be acting on some handrails on a stand. The setup consists of a barrel of liquid on a stand, X distance away from the handrails, when a person of Y lbs trips and falls into the 55 gallon barrel filled with a liquid of known specifications. I have a maximum impact force rating for the handrails, but I don't know how to determine how much force would impact the rails in this case. I don't know if the liquid would have differing energy absorption or how the material property of the barrel itself would play into the equation. I also know the coefficient of friction of the stand flooring.

 

[Hitokiri03]

And the distance X will be between 0" and 3".

 

[rb1957]

provide a cover so the clusmy person doesn't fall into your barrel.

i guess it'd be hard for a person to fall (completely) into a 55 gal drum ... it's not that big. so i guess you mean someone trips and pushes the barrel into the handrail ?
neglecting that the fluid will slosh around when impacted (absorbing a lot of energy), 55 gal of liquid is going to weigh close on 500 lbs ... it's hard to see someone tripping and moving the drum (unless it's on a very slippery surface).

 

[IRstuff]

You seem to have not described why there's a load on the handrails at all.

A picture would be useful

TTFN
faq731-376

 

[PersonalProfile]

Sounds like an oppurtunity to apply some fundamental physics - does a person possess either sufficient (kenetic) engergy or physical strenght (there are various references availible on the internet) to move the barrel.

The resultant engergy can be then used to assess the suitability of the handrail.

Regards,
Lyle

 

[rb1957]

mythbusters anyone ?

 

[vpl]

This sounds like a student assignment. In the real world, such barrels would have lids on them as rb1957 stated or would be moved to a location such that people couldn't get to them and the darn handrails as the original poster described them would actually be set-offs to keep people out and would be set far enough back the the clumsy oaf who fell over the handrail wouldn't fall into the barrel. In fact, if they was hazardous materials in the barrels, there would be cages.

OK Hitokiri03, more information about these barrels.

Patricia Lougheed

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[chicopee]

Sounds like a Smother Brothers' episode when one of them fell into a vat of chocolat and yelled fire.