Comparative Experimental Study on Improving Structural Performance of the Base Upright Profiles of Steel Storage Pallet Racks Under Operational Conditions

Abstract

AbstractIn recent decades, economic growth and globalization have spurred increased demand for efficient storage systems, leading to the extensive production of industrial racks from cold-formed steel profiles. Technological advances and research have significantly enhanced the optimization and mechanical efficiency of these profiles. However, older structures often require reassessment and strengthening to meet current and future load-bearing requirements, especially when systems are continuously in use and interventions must be minimized in terms of time and complexity. This paper investigates two strengthening solutions designed to improve the structural performance under various loading conditions, using experimental research to assess and understand the behavior of reinforced profiles. It presents a comparative analysis of the axial compression behavior of the base upright profiles of steel storage racks, each 1 m in length. A specific open cross-section with perforations was utilized, and a total of 13 specimens were tested: 5 unreinforced, 3 with ‘2L-shaped profiles’ for method 1, and 5 with ‘1C-shaped profile’ for method 2. For the strengthened profiles, both methods were secured inside the original profile using M8 bolts. The results demonstrate a 25% improvement in compression resistance capacity for method 2 and 4% for method 1, underscoring the effectiveness of these interventions.