Best Practices Magazine - issue nº1 - English

Our experts I Clack-racks
9 8
6 4
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1. Frame
2. Beam
3. Footplates and
anchor bolts
4. Roof trusses
5. Guide rails
6. Roof joist
7. Wall joist
8. Roof
9. Cladded walls
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3
5
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the structure be respected (wind actions,
roof overloads, seismic action, etc.), but
also the specific regulations for the metal
racking.
compact (drive-in palletising, push-back,
Pallet Shuttle and live by gravity).
racks must also bear the forces that they
transmit.
On a European level, the following regulations
are in force for all metal structures:
The use of conventional pallet racking, either
single or double-depth, is more common
starting at this height. On the other
hand, when above 15 m high handling
machines should be automatic.
As a general rule, in the case of automated
warehouses, the best practice is to take advantage
of the maximum height allowed
by local regulations. This is provided that
the amount of machines designed for the
installation makes it possible to achieve
the desired number of movements. To get
same storage capacity, you can opt for a
reduced height installation, but with more
work aisles –which involves installing more
machines–or opt for a warehouse with
more height and less aisles, and therefore
less machines.
Basic components
of a clad-rack warehouse
The constructive system is very simple: the
structure is composed by the racks themselves
on which the upper trusses, roof
girders and the side profiles are placed,
which are used for attaching the panels
that make up the walls and roofing.
When the handling equipment are automatic
stacker cranes, the upper guides
are attached to the trusses, so that the
How a warehouse clad-rack
is calculated
Apart from having to bear loads generated
by the goods stored and the forces from the
handling machines, clad-rack warehouses
must also be designed to withstand the actions
of a building, for example, the action
of the wind, overburdened roofing (maintenance,
snow, etc.), the weight itself and
of the wall cladding – both covering and the
facades – besides considering the seismic
coefficient that corresponds to the zone
where it is installed.
As with any civil engineering structure,
the clad-rack warehouse forms part of the
building structure. However, this involves
very specific constructions, because in
addition to the peculiarities of a building
used, the specifications of the racks must
be taken into account.
Thus, when calculating and designing the
structure of a clad-rack warehouse, not
only must each country’s rules of construction
and the actions that can affect
• EN 1990 / Basis of structural design.
• EN 1991 / Eurocode 1: Actions on
structures.
• EN 1993 / Eurocode 3: Design of steel
structures
• EN 1998 / Eurocode 8: Design of structures
for earthquake resistance.
Logically, in each territory there are different
climatic actions that involve deviations from
the general rule. Moreover, certain countries
require different calculation conditions
(for example: more stringent security coefficients
than those specified in European
regulations).
In regard to the European regulations specific
to metal racking, the following are
underscored:
• EN 15512 / Steel static storage systems.
Adjustable pallet racking systems. Principles
for structural design.
At the height of 12 m the inflection point between
the costs of constructing a traditional warehouse and
a clad-rack warehouse is usually found
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