
Fatigue Design of Cold-Formed Thin-Walled Z-rails Subjected to Concentrated Load
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Cold-formed thin-walled steel members are extensively used in rack storage structures due to their good geometrical and mechanical properties for a minimum weight. In automatic multi-deep rack systems, shuttles are used to bring pallets to their final storage position; these shuttles are usually circulating on elements made of Z sections, which allows an easy circulation of the shuttles while ensuring a sufficient bearing and stiffness capacity. Due to the multiple passages of the shuttles, fatigue problems could occurred on these profiles, but this issue is not fully covered by the existing European normative document EN1993-1-9. This paper will present the results of a large experimental fatigue test campaign, in which 36 members, made of thin-walled cold formed steel Z sections, with the steel grade HX420LAD, have been tested, in order to characterise the fatigue resistance of two details as a part of the Z-rail. The members have been subjected to punctual cyclic load applied during a large number of cycles, representing thus the movement of the shuttle. The main objective of those tests was to derive the S-N curve associated to both studied details. As a result, design provisions to assess the fatigue resistance of the Z-rails subjected to fatigue load are proposed for the practitioners, referring to the recommendations of prEN1993-1-9. This study takes place in the framework of an ongoing project funded by SPW project entitled ACTIONS: “Advanced Eurocodes Compliant Tools for Industrial Optimized Innovative Structures”, involving STOW group, GDTech and CRM companies, as well as the University of Liege.