After reviewing FedEx’s OB3 area floor system to determine load capabilities, our firm was asked to provide peer review and a potential redesign of an existing conveyor supporting floor system strengthening plan. The new system was intended to support higher loads due to conveyor upgrades. For our client Alberici, our team utilized RISA software and constructability knowledge to develop creative, cost-saving alternative reinforcing schemes for the conveyor support system.
Our alternative reinforcing schemes reduced the length (and therefore manpower and material costs) for reinforcing members using efficient shapes and orientations. To accelerate schedule, our firm suggested adding out-of-plane and in-plane strengthening elements versus replacing or adding structural members. Engineers analyzed the loads, sized the reinforcement, designed connections, and detailed them. With multiple system installations occurring within the project, our reinforcement designs specifically avoided numerous interferences.