As one of the most exposed components of industrial steel storage rack, columns are particularly vulnerable to damage. Frequently the damage results from a forklift or pallet load impact. Upon discovering a damaged upright, the system owner may choose between two rack repair solutions.  The first is replacing the entire column. The second is repairing the damaged section. A repair involves removing and replacing the upright with a new piece spliced in to join it to the existing component.

Rack Repair or Remove and Replace: How to Decide

To determine the optimal repair option, the guidelines advise rack owners to engage a storage rack design engineer to assess the damage. The engineer performs the calculations necessary to first determine the need for a full replacement column. If not, the engineer can determine how the to create the splice so it supports the load properly.

Because the structural integrity of the repair hinges upon maintaining a stable, continuous load path across the new splice joint, RMI offers best practice recommendations. Section 8.3.1 of the Guideline for the Assessment and Repair or Replacement of Damaged Rack — Version 2.0 notes:

The column splice needs to meet the loading requirements of the applicable loading combinations in ANSI MH16.1: Specification for the Design, Testing and Utilization of Industrial Steel Storage Racks, Section 2.1 or Section 2.2. The splice connection shall be evaluated for the following factors including, but not limited to:

Splice Joint Cut Tolerances Important

The Guideline also offers insights into the importance of repair kit splice joint cut tolerances. It recommends two different approaches to manage any ensuing gaps. These measures ensure sufficient load capacity in the final repaired structure. Section 9.3 of the Guideline notes:

In cases where a section of an existing rack structure is removed and replaced with a repair kit, the tolerances for the splice joint specified by the supervising engineer need to be maintained in the field. The kit design may require that the existing rack column rest directly on the horizontal surface of the repair kit to achieve full rated capacity. (In these cases, the connecting bolts might not have sufficient capacity to carry the load themselves).

If there is a gap between the existing column and the repair kit, the gap needs to be shimmed as specified by the supervising engineer. When the repair kit does not require bearing on the horizontal surface, the bolted or welded connections need to be strong enough to transfer the load into the splice sleeve and back into the lower column member. In this case, the gap may not need to be filled.

Follow these best practice guidelines for replacing or repairing a damaged rack column. In doing so, a pallet rack system owner can rest assured that the integrity of the structure again matches original specifications. This significantly reduces the chance of failure. Further, it enhances the overall safety of the facility and its employees.

Find More Rack Repair Best Practices

Want to learn more about rack repair best practices? Download RMI’s Guideline for the Assessment and Repair or Replacement of Damaged Rack — Volume 2.