The racking structure was first of all inspected to ensure that it met the intended test purpose, including inspection of the instrumentation on the racking to measure the static force before impact and then to measure the increase in forces through the various alternative force routes through members of the structure as the selected racking upright was destroyed by impact from a typical warehouse truck.

Inspection method was in accordance with relevant Codes of Practice and based on visual observation carried out from ground level clear of the test area.

The intended racking impact was aimed at the point of impact from experience is the most common rack impacted area for a building of our test rig height i.e. roughly in the centre of the first bracing panel from the floor.

In conventional racking when a portion of an upright is removed, due to impact or other causes, the upright drops slightly. When this occurs, there are numerous ways the load can then shed from the damaged upright. With Rack Collapse Prevention’s system weight is transferred to the system’s hangers, which then spreads the load along the structure.

A standard building structure, designed to support imposed wind and snow load, which are random and occasional loads only, is deemed that the structure, should it need to support full snow and wind load, would be capable of supporting the additional full load imposed by the stored goods affected by the impact event.

The fully loaded racking leg following direct impact remained stable with no unexpected effects noted either during or after the test.