Therapy Swings - Design Load?

[coatsandrew]

Does anyone know of any IBC 2006 design load requirements for special indoor equipment that will be hung from the roof structure of a classroom? I need to design for therapy swings in a special needs classroom, but I can't find much information on the design requirements. I was thinking of using a 500# point load in any direction in the beam design.

Thanks

 

[msquared48]

Find out what the swing is rated for, and double it if kids are using it.

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

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Agree w/ Mike but I think I might use a bit higher load. Watch "Greatest Loser". Seems like 500 lbs is the new 250 lbs??

 

[dhengr]

I’d find out what the swing manuf’ers. are designing the swings to carry. Look at the breaking strength of the suspending cables, or whatever. Then double or triple that, and pay a little attention to dynamic or impact type loadings. Maybe OSHA offers some guidance, re: fall protection or the like.
However, if you really think the load might be applied to the roof beam “in any direction,” I think I would run (not walk) away from this assignment. Just go straight to your local court house, because that’s where you’ll end up if that loading orientation ever happens. Is this a therapy swing (5 or 10 degrees about a vert. axis) or a carnival ride?

 

[JStephen]

The rated load for the swings would be the weight of the person anticipated to use them, but the vertical load on the support would include the weight plus the centrifugal force. If you figure a person starts as high up as feasible, you can use energy methods to find their maximum velocity as they bottom out, then figure centrifugal force for that velocity.

 

[Ron]

I have never designed swings; however, I have analyzed and tested hundreds of treestands. Similar conditions.

In those, for static loads, we tested to 2x working load.
For climbing treestands, subject to repetive loads (similar to swings) we tested to 10,000 cycles. If they failed either, they failed.

As for the swing, I would use a static FS=2.0 at least. I would also require testing for the repetitive loads.

 

[unclesyd]

Here might be a beginning or an end.
I say this in the hospital when they were radiating me in all the wrong places.

http://www.unistrutconstruction.com/app_medsupports.html

I just talked to my granddaughter, who is a special ed teacher and she says they don't have any swing suspended from the ceiling. the only thing they have suspended from the ceiling is harness to help some students exercise their legs.

 

[JLNJ]

I designed a couple of these for a profoundly special ed set of classrooms. I don't think it gets used quite like a plyground swing.

The manuf should give you the capacity they are looking for. I had the luxury of designing in a new facility so I could make it nice and stout. It will be more difficult if it's a retrofit. I'm out of the office right now or I'd post the cut sheet for you.