Sway Analysis of Spliced Pallet-Rack Structures

摘要

This paper presents an efficient approach to the design of unbraced pallet rackrnstructures containing splices and subjected to horizontal and vertical loads. Thernstructures are analysed by considering an equivalent free-sway column and usingrnstability functions to incorporate the non-linear P ?Δ effects to solve the resultingrndifferential equations of equilibrium. The effects of semi-rigid beam-to-upright,rnsplice-to-upright and base-plate-to-upright connections are fully included in thernanalysis.rnEach section of upright between successive beam levels in the pallet rack isrnconsidered to be a single column element.rnA computer algebra package was used to determine modified stability functionsrnfor column elements containing splices. The results of the analysis are comparedrnwith a traditional finite element solution of the problem.