Developing seismic design guidelines for pallet racks

仓储货架系统被广泛应用于仓库建筑的仓储设施中。拟议的研究涉及Arpac制造的选择性托盘存储钢架(SPSSR)的设计。目前，在地震区设计这种结构还没有适当的指导方针。这项拟议的研究将对机架结构的梁柱连接、支撑连接和底板连接的专有结构组件的性能以及跨过道和下过道方向的框架响应进行试验研究，并制定SPSSR的抗震设计指南。快速回弹试验和反复加载试验将被评估，以确定各种连接的固有周期、刚度、荷载-位移响应、滞回阻尼和性能，这将是建立能够准确预测SPSSR响应的有限元模型的关键。基于性能的设计正在成为结构抗震设计和评估的标准实践，以达到可靠和令人满意的性能水平。在加拿大，关于SPSSR的抗震性能的研究很少。这项研究将考察在增加的横向荷载作用下SPSSR系统不同部件之间的相互作用，并评估各种损伤状态、破坏机制及其倒塌行为。这将有助于确定适当的部分大小和连接细节。所建立的数值模型将首先用实验结果进行验证。然后利用该模型对不同结构的SPSSR的响应进行了仿真。增量动力分析(IDA)将按照FEMA P-695程序进行，以便为基于力的设计程序制定力修正系数。IDA结果还将用于观察不同位移水平下的损伤机理，从而提出基于位移的设计程序。本研究将为机架结构及其部件提供基于性能的设计解决方案。这项研究的意义是至关重要的，因为它直接有助于加拿大机架基础设施的安全和保障。

Storage rack systems are widely used for storage facilities in warehouse buildings. The proposed research deals with the design of Selective Pallet Storage Steel Racks (SPSSRs) manufactured by ARPAC. Currently, there are no proper guidelines for designing such structures in seismic regions. The proposed research will experimentally investigate the behavior of proprietary structural components of beam-to-column connections, brace-to-column connections, and baseplates-to-column connections of rack structures and the frame response in both cross-aisle and down-aisle directions and develop seismic design guidelines for SPSSRs. Snapback test, and reversed cyclic loading tests will be evaluated to determine the natural period, stiffness, load-displacement response, hysteretic damping, and behavior of various connections, which will be critical to establishing finite element models that can accurately predict the response of SPSSRs.Performance-based design is becoming a standard practice for seismic design and evaluation of structures to achieve a reliable and satisfactory level of performance. There has been little study on the seismic performance of SPSSRs in Canada. This study will examine the interaction among different components of the SPSSR systems under increased lateral loads and evaluate various damage states, failure mechanisms, and its collapse behavior. This will help determine adequate section sizes and connection details. The developed numerical models will be first validated with experimental results. Then the models will be utilized to simulate the response of SPSSRs with various configurations. Incremental dynamic analyses (IDA) will be performed as per FEMA P-695 procedure to develop force modification factors for force-based design procedure. The IDA results will be also utilized to observe the damage mechanism at various displacement levels to come up with the displacement-based design procedure. This study will provide performance-based design solutions for rack structures and their elements. The significance of this research is paramount as it directly contributes to the safety and security of Canadian rack infrastructure.