pallet storage rack calculations without specs?

[cruzinbear]

I am working on a project involving relocation of pallet storage racks. The issue is that the racks are not made by the same company and the existing tenants do not have information regarding structural properties.

I went to the site and field measured all the frames, beams, and base plate dimensions. I also called a local guy which the tenants were sure to have purchased from them but that's about 25% of the storage racks.

I am not sure exactly how I should treat the rest. I guess specifically how do I determine the gauge of the steel for the remaining storage racks? Anyone run into this situation before I would greatly appreciate some advice. Thanks you.

 

[TDIengineer]

micrometer will measure the gauge where you can "bite " the material. they're not cheap. provide some pics would help as well. Are you trying to size an L shape?

http://www.google.com/search?site=i...nUYXGDsm9iwKD5oHYDQ#biv=i|1;d|ktmLBaNTIb6aMM:

 

[cruzinbear]

Thanks TDI. I can "bite" the posts, however the beams are enclosed shapes which make it difficult. I guess it's somewhat of a bubbly L-shape, depending on how you look at it. It's a hollow rectangular tube with a step for plywood or wire decking. Any recommendations on the enclosed shape?

 

[MikeHalloran]

Buying new racking has to be cheaper than paying an engineer to back-engineer it, never mind also actually moving it.

I suppose you could drill a hole near the neutral axis of each beam to get a measure of the gage. That would not detect internal reinforcement tubes, or the overlap of any lap joints, but working with just the shell would be conservative.

You have to deburr the front and back side of the hole to get an accurate thickness measurement, but having done that, you can measure the metal around the hole with
a hub micrometer:

http://www.starrett.com/metrology/p...icrometers/Special-Fuction-Micrometers/228XRL

... or a groove micrometer:

http://www.starrett.com/metrology/p.../Micrometers/Special-Fuction-Micrometers/260Z

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA