Machine bearing on second story.

[lcd123]

I need to install 3 machines in a second story manufacturing facility. Each machine weighs approx 6400lbs and is a static load (ie. no pounding). They are to be in a 16' x 14' footprint. Each machine is supported by three leveling feet 4" dia. The floor is rated at 2.6 psi. When calculating the bearing stress of the machines on the floor it is 177psi for each leveling foot.

Is the floor rating based on an overall area of the facility? Or is it based on a localized stress point (ie. my leveling feet)? Do I need to know the location of building beems? Is this bearing excessive for manufacturing machines? Is the rating unusually low?

Thanks

 

[jheidt2543]

icd123

I have some thoughts on your problem but I can't paste them into this note, they are too long. Send your e-mail address to me at jheidt2543@aol.com and I will send them to you. They may give you some ideas on how to proceed.

jheidt2543

 

[CarlB]

You would probably get several responses if you posted this in the structural engineers forum. I would think the 2.6 psi is a gross rating, otherwise the floor couldn't support a person standing on one foot. But 2.6 psi is kind of high for a gross floor rating of an elevated floor - 375 lbs per square foot, would expect something more like 100 psf. Your equipment gross loading is only 28 psf, which is not especially high. If flooring material was not tough, could spread the load some with something like metal base plates.

Just some thoughts from a Civil guy,

Carl

 

[ARH]

carl, you are absoulutley right. Not sure if the floor is steel or concrete, if steel with grating locate some filler beams below the equipment, if concrete add a concrete pier to keep the baseplate off the floor and spread the load at the same time. Check punching shear around the new pier.