State-of-the-art review on adjustable pallet racks testing for seismic design

Abstract

This paper presents a state-of-the-art review on seismic tests of adjustable pallet rack systems: on particular components of racks, subassemblies, full racks and stored goods. The tested particular components are the most critical connections: beams-to-uprights, braces-to-uprights, and floor-to-uprights; subassemblies also include beam-to-upright connections, among other components. Tests on full racks can be static (pushover), pseudo-dynamic, or dynamic (pullout and shaking table). Finally, tests on stored goods are sliding (aimed to identify the friction coefficient with the supporting members) and tilting (to check their confinement). The examination of the discussed experiments provides relevant conclusions and allows identifying research needs.