Tanim Ahmed

BSc (Civil Engineering), MSc (Civil Engineering)
Postgraduate Research Student


School of Civil Engineering, Room 101
Phone: +61 2 9351 2145
Fax: +61 2 9351 3343
Email:

Research project - Seismic behaviour of drive-in steel storage racks

Supervisor: Prof Kim Rasmussen

Steel storage racks are used worldwide because of the increasing need for rational space utilization in warehouses, factories and other facilities used for storing goods. The racks are free standing structures that carry mainly gravity loads, placement and impact forces and potentially, seismic forces. Two main types of racks used in industries are selective racks and drive-in racks. Selective racks, the most common type of rack, are separated by aisles, and each pallet is always accessible. But drive-in racks require less floor space by storing pallets on rail beams, one after the other, with no space between them and by the cost of accessibility.

Fig. 1. Typical drive-in rack*

Why is it important to understand the drive-in rack behaviour?

It utilizes the space much more compared to selective racks. Drive-in racks are deeper compared to selective racks. To provide accessibility of forklift truck, they can be braced only at the back and at the top. This results in a complex slender structure with a higher risk of failure. But proper understanding of its 3D behaviour will aid in a structurally sound but economic design.

The main aim of this research is to understand the seismic behaviour of drive-in racks through full-scale subassembly dynamic tests and non-linear dynamic analysis. And thereby develop practical seismic design methods for drive-in racking system.

Publications

• Ahmed T, Shimizu S. A study of the seismic effects on a portal frame having a hole at the beam-column connection. Thin-Walled Struct 2012;52: 53-60.

*Image source: B.P. Gilbert, K.J.R. Rasmussen / Engineering Structures 33 (2011) 1410–1422