structural engineering 2

[cvlenv]

i am designing a suspended slab to carry 5 water distribution pumps of various capacities, ie: 60Hp, 250psi. the pumps are of centrifugal type. is there any rule of thumb in load analysis prior to designing the required reinforcement of suspended slab in relation to vibration, lateral loads, etc with respect to the weight of the equipment?

 

[Ron]

The rule of thumb is hire a structural engineer. You have to deal with vibration, harmonics, fatigue, torque, and anchorage as well as the typical dead and live loads, laterally and vertically.

 

[arboi]

Make sure that the slab period of free vibration (including the mass of the pumps) is much different from the period of the pumps excitation

 

[abusementpark]

Yea, that is definitely not a problem that with a simple solution.

 

[JStephen]

I have seen some mechanical equipment where the equipment manufacturer furnished equivalent static loads to be used in the design, incorporating load factors adequate to cover dynamic effects. You might check with the suppliers of the equipment in question and see if they have any input.

 

[ash060]

There is a document that will help you with recommendations for your foundation.

Check ACI 351.3R-04 "Foundations for Dynamic Equipment", they give guidelines and design criteria for vibration and such.

 

[racookpe1978]

You can always guess.

Then, when it breaks, you know you have to make it stronger the next time. 8<)

Of course, if it doesn't break the first time, then you made it too strong and wasted time, money, and effort making it too strong. That means you have can rip it out and build it again cheaper the second time to save even more money. 8<)

 

[msquared48]

You might consider an isolation slab.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask