ANALYSIS OF PALLET STORAGE STRUCTURES IN DOWN-AISLE DIRECTION

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to comparatively analyze the mechanical behavior from stability point of view, for the pallet racking systems without vertical bracings, having different stiffness for the beam-end connectors, subjected to vertical and horizontal loads. Two cases of pallet racking systems are analyzed. The type of beam-end connector used to assembly beams with the uprights is different in each case: four-tab connector and five-tab connector. The structures are analyzed by comparing the sway deformation in the down-aisle direction and by comparing the bending moments developed in such structures by taking into account the second order effects. It is shown that the increasing of the rotational stiffness of the beam-end connector leads to the increasing of the critical buckling force.