UpdatedBuildingCodesAreChangingBatteryRackCertificationRequirements

DesignandTestingImpacts

KenSabo
SeniorProductManager
Aptus
Montclair,CA91763

Abstract
BuildingcodesaffectingSeismicBatteryRackshavechangedsignificantlyoverthepast10yearsintheUnited
States.ThesimpleUBCZone14(UniformBuildingCode)systemthatmosthistoricVLArackswerebuilttono
longerapplies,havingbeenreplacedbythemorecomplexIBC(InternationalBuildingCode).TheIBCcodeis
moredifficulttounderstand,havingmanyparametersthatinfluencewhatisasitecompliantseismicrating.
Thesefactorsmakeitdifficulttoknowifahistoricrackmeetsthenewcoderequirementsandhowtodesignfor
maximummarketcoverageandminimalcost.StateandlocalmunicipalcodesliketheCBC(CaliforniaBuilding
Code)andOSHPD(OfficeofStatewideHealthPlanningandDevelopment)

introduceadditionalrequirements
thatimpactthedesignandoverallcostofracksystems.IndustrystandardssuchasIEEE693(Instituteof
ElectricalandElectronicsEngineers)caninfluencerackdesignandqualificationaswell.Combinethechanges
thesevariouscodesintroducewiththeACI31805(AmericanConcreteInstitute)changesfortheanchoringof
structuresandanewcriteriahasbeenestablishedforsitecompliantbatteryrackingsystems.

ThechangesinanchoringrequirementsperACI31805,wherethecodenowrequiresthemetalanchoror
structuretoyieldpriortotheconcrete,isimpactinghowracksareinstalled.Longeranchorsorotheranchoring
designsarebeingrequiredandhistoricanchoringschemesonracksmaybeinsufficient.

Theapplicablechangesinthebuildingcodesandtheirimpactonbatteryrackdesignsarereviewed.IBC2012
coderequirements,includingASCE710Section13(AmericanSocietyofCivilEngineers),areintroducedalong
withtheincreasedrequirementforshaketabletesting,especiallyasitappliestoessentialfacilitiescompliance.
OSHPDandIEEE693arereviewedtohighlighttheimpactofmarketspecificrequirementstodesign.

UniformBuildingCode(UBC)
Forover30years,designingbatteryracksforcomplianceandcertificationtoUBCearthquakeloadrequirements
wasrelativelysimpleforthemarkettounderstand.TheUBCcodedefinedfourprimaryseismiczonecategories
numbered14withasimplisticmapoftheUStodeterminewherethesezoneswereandwasabroadbrush
approachfordeterminingtheseismicrequirementsforstructures.Batteryrackscouldbecertifiedbyanalysis,
onlyhavingtherequirementthattheybesignedandstampedbyacertifiedProfessionalEngineer(PE)tobe
acceptedinthemarketplace.Inadditiontodefiningwhichzonetheinstallationsitewasin,twootherfactors
wereneededtodeterminewhichrackdesignwasacceptableforuseatasite,thesefactorsarewhetherthe
facilityisclassifiedasanEssentialFacility(i.e.mustremainoperationalaftertheearthquake)andwhetherthe
installationisat/belowgradeorabovegrade.HigherloadfactorswereappliedintheanalysisforanEssential
facilityclassificationorabovegradeclassification.ForSpecifyingEngineersandRackDesigners,rack
classificationsweredefinedbyansweringthefollowingquestions:

1.WhatZoneistheracktobeinstalledin?
2.IstheinstallationinanEssentialFacility?
3.Istheinstallationabovegradelevelorisitat/belowgrade?

31
Thissimplicitymadeidentifyingwhichracksatisfiedasitesrequirementeasytounderstandinthemarketand
wasusuallyreferredtobyRackZoneRating.UBCwaslastupdatedasauseablecodein1997.

InternationalBuildingCode(IBC)Adoption
Afterthe1997UBCcodeupdate,theInternationalCodeCouncil(ICC)decidedthatsupportingtwodifferent
buildingcodesinthemarketplacecreatedtoomuchconfusion,anddecidedtoadoptonlyonecommonbuilding
codeforthefuture.TheICCdecidedtoretiretheUBCcodeandreplaceitwiththemorewidelyused
InternationalBuildingCode(IBC)in2000.TheIBCcodeismorecomplexinthehowitdefinesearthquakeload
requirements.IBCallowsstructuralengineersandarchitectstodesigntheentirestructuretospecificsite
conditionstominimizeoverorunderdesigning.Unfortunatelyforothercomponentsmountedinthose
structures,likebatteryracks,theIBCcodemakesitmoredifficulttodefineseismiccategoriesforeaseofuse
andmarketing.ThesimpleZoneclassificationoftheUBCsystemcannolongerbeused.TheIBCcodeis
updatedeverythreeyearshavingbeenrevisedin2000,2003,2006,2009,andmostrecently2012.IBChasbeen
adoptedinall50states,DistrictofColumbia,andUSTerritorieseitherstatewideortolocallevelswithmost
beingatthe2009revisionbutsixstateshavealreadyadoptedthe2012version.
1
IBCSection1613.5specifically
addressesEarthquakeloadparameters.

UBCandIBCMethodologyDifferences
UBC
Analysisfactorsforseismiceventsarebasedona10%Probabilitytoexceedtheevent/50years
2
.Thecodeuses
abroadseismicmapdividingthecountryinto4zones.Loadsdidnotconsideraverticalcomponent.

IBC2000to2009
Analysisfactorsarebasedona2%Probabilitytoexceedtheevent/50years
2
.Thisisamorerestrictive
definitionthanUBChad,buttooffsetthis,thecodedoesimposea2/3factortotheloadmakingitalittleless
severe.IBCusestheUSGSSpectralAccelerationmaps(0300%)andSiteClassFactors,alsoreferredtoasSite
SoilFactors,(AF)todeterminesitevaluesfortheloadanalysis.Accelerationsareappliedin3axes.Maxloads
aredeterminedbyasumofthesquarescalculationforloadingintheprimaryloadaxes
2
.Loadsarecalculated
perASCE7,Chapter13(AmericanSocietyofCivilEngineers).

IBC2012
Themethodologyfordeterminingtheanalysisfactorschangedto1%ProbabilityofCollapse/50years
2
forthis
latestrevisionofIBC.ThecodestillusesthesameUSGSmapsandprimaryparametersofthepreviousIBC
versions.Howtheloadsaredeterminedhasbeenmodified.Theloadsbeingappliedtotheprimarylateralaxes
arenowthemaximumloadofanyoftheaxesinsteadofthesumofthesquaresapproachofthepreviousIBC
versions.LoadsarestillcalculatedperASCE7,Chapterequations.Thechangeinmethodologydoeshavethe
followingtypicalimpacttoresultantappliedloadsversusthe2009version:
LowerUSGSaccelerationareas(middle/easternUS):70%to90%oftheoldIBCloads
2

HigherUSGSaccelerationareas(westernUS):90%to115%oftheoldIBCloads
2

32
IBCCodeFactors
WhenengineersarespecifyingparametersforIBCratedrackingsystems,avarietyoftermsareincludedinthe
specifications.Someareapplicableandsomearenot.Listedbelowarethetypicalparametersthatmaybeina
rackspecificationfordefiningtheIBCrequirements:

S
S
=ShortTermAcceleration(0.2sec),obtainedforthesitefromtheUSGSSSSpectralAcceleration
Map.ThisvalueappliestoRackingsystemsthatareshortandvibratehigherfrequencies.
S
1
=MappedAccelerationsfor1sec,obtainedforthesitefromtheUSGS1SSpectralAccelerationMap.
Thisvalueappliestotallerbuildingsthatvibrateatlowfrequencies,andisnotusedintherackanalysis.
SiteClass(SoilFactors)AthroughFvaluesthatdetermineloadfactorsappliedtotheS
S
/S
1
values.The
factorsareclassifiedforIBCinaccordancewithASCE7,Chapter20.ThedefaultforIBCanalysesif
unknownisSiteClassD(StiffSoil)whichwillbeonmostgenericspecifications.
S
DS
Fivepercentdampeddesignspectralresponseaccelerationatshortperiods,S
S

RiskCategory(2012)orOccupancyClass(20002009)DefinedinRomannumeralsItoIV.CategoryIV
isequivalenttothehistoricalEssentialFacilityClassification.RiskCategoryandS
DS
valuesdefinethe
SeismicDesignCategoryforASCE7.
z/h:Factorforwheretherackislocatedinthebuildingasapercentageofbuildingheight
o 0.0=at/belowgrade
o 1.0=topofbuilding

OnlyS
S
,SiteClass,RiskCategoryandLocationinbuildingarerequiredtodefinetherackrequirements.

TheS
DS
valuesandotherinformationfromtheIBCcodeisthenloadedintotheASCE7,Chapter13equationsfor
earthquakeloadingtogeneratethenecessaryF
P
values,theDesignAccelerationsings,tobeusedinthe
analysisorshaketabletests.ASCE7istheprimaryforceloadingdocumentreferencedbyIBC.Sinceracksarea
steelconstructiontheAmericanInstituteofSteelConstructioncodeAISC360isalsoreferencedinIBC.

RackanchoringdesignrequirementswithinIBCaredefinedbytheAmericanConcreteInstitutesACI318
standardsandarecommentedoninafollowingsection.

IBCImpactonRackDesign
LightorLowSeismicRacks(SimilartoUBCZone2racks)
HistoricUBCZone2B,essential,abovegradecertifiedrackstendtomeetmostoftherequirementsforlight
seismicIBClevelswithminimalchanges,aslongastheresultantforceglevelsaresimilar.DefiningtheexactIBC
parametersthatlightseismicracksshouldbedesignedtoisoneofthebiggestchallengeforrack
manufacturers,sincenoconsistentstandardhasbeensetforthisrange.SinceIBCdefinesanS
S
inapercentage
from1%toapproximately300%,whatvalueshouldbeused?Asdesignersoftheracks,wetrytoselectanS
S

valuethatprovidesthebroadestcoveragewhilekeepingoverallstructurecoststoaminimum.Forcustomersof
theselightseismicrackstheselectiongetsmoredifficultbecausetwodifferentmanufacturerIBCracksmaybe
certifiedtotwodifferentIBClevels,sothespecificationsarenotonetoone.Selectingtheracknowrequires
lookingattheseveralparametersandifdifferent,tryingtodetermineiftherackmeetsthespecification
requirements.

OneoftheweaklinksofseveralhistoricrackdesignswhenlookingatcertifyingthemtoIBCistheendrail
bracketwhichisincapableofsupportingtheentirelateralloadsfortheIBCconditions.Abracketdesignchange
and/ortheuseoftierodassemblieshavehelpedtoresolvethisdeficiency.Typicalframeconstructioniseither
sheetsteelbentintoCchannelsorlighttubularsteelconstruction.SelectinganS
S
levelof100%willyielda
designthatwilltypicallycover75%to80%ofthegeographiccontinentalUS.
33
Heavy/High/SevereSeismicRacks
TraditionalUBCZone4rackswhenanalyzedtothehighestIBClevels,i.e.S
S
levelsto300%,arefrequentlyfound
tobedeficientinframedesign.ThechangeinloadingparametersthatIBCimposesrequiresmorerobust
designs,especiallyforessentialandtopofbuildingcalculations.Eithernewrackshavetobedesignedorthe
existingrackshavetobecertifiedatalowermaximumS
S
level.HeaviergaugeCChannelortubularsteel
constructionfortherackframesisusedfortheseheaviestrackdesigns.Additionalbracing,modifiedseismic
restraintrailassemblies,andadditionaltierodassembliesmayberequired.Spacingbetweentherackframesis
alsoreducedcomparedtolowerseismiclevelracks,whichrequiresadditionalframesforcertainlengths
configurations.Alltheserequiredchangesdrivetheheavyseismicrackcostsupovertheirlowerseismic
counterpartsandeventheUBCZone4rackdesigns.

AgainthechallengeformanufacturersisatwhatlevelshouldIdesignto?Doesitmakesensetocreatetwo
differentrackversionstohandlethesehigherloadstominimizecostforeachaHeavySeismicandSevere
Seismicversion?Sinceonly20%to25%ofthecontinentalUSiscoveredbytheseheavyseismicracks,
geographically,manufacturershavetoweightheadvantagesofhavingtwodifferentracklinesforthiscategory
andwhetherthecertificationcostandmanufacturingvariabilityisjustifiedforthesizeofthemarket.Thecostof
certifyingtheracksplaysanimportantroleintothisdecisionaswell,becausenowtwocertificationtestswould
nowberequired.

InfluenceofOtherCodes&Standards
WhendesigninganewrackforhighlevelIBCcompliance,addressingotherhighforcelevelcodesandstandards
isrecommended.Manyoftheforcelevelsandfrequencyspectrathatracksaresubjectedtosignificantly
overlap,especiallyiftheracksaretobecertifiedbyshaketabletesting.

IEEE693
IncludingIEEE693,theInstituteofElectricalandElectronicsEngineersstandardfortheSeismicDesignof
Substations,requirementsforthoserackconfigurationsusedbythatmarketwhendevelopingIBCrackdesigns
makessense.ThecertificationtothiscoderequiresmanyofthesameforceandaccelerationlevelsasIBCHeavy
Seismicdesignssothiscanbeincludedatminimalcosttothenewdesigncost.Theloadlevelsandfrequency
spectraofaccelerationsarenotexactlythesameasIBC,soanadditionalanalysisorshaketestneedstobe
conductedforcertificationtoIEEE693.Theadditionalshaketablerunforthecorrectspectrawiththe
equipmentalreadyonthefixturetendstobewellworththeincrementaltestcostgiventheoverallexpenseof
theIBCshaketabletest.WhencomparingIEEE693toUBCZone4designs,changestotheframesandotherrack
componentshadtobemadetosatisfythehigherloadingrequirementsofthestandard.IfanIEEE693rackwas
alreadydevelopedforitshighseismiclevels,itislikelythatthisdesignwillmeetmanyoftheIBCHeavySeismic
rackrequirementswithlittlemodification.

OSHPD
ForthepastseveralyearsOSPHDpreapprovalhasbeenabuzzwordintheworldofrackingsystemssinceit
startedshowinguponmanyofthespecificationsforCaliforniasites.OSHPDstandsforOfficeofStatewide
HealthPlanningandDevelopmentwhichisanagencyforthestateofCaliforniathatapprovesproductsforuse
inHospitalsandotherhealthcarefacilities.HavingarackOSHPDpreapprovedassistsingettingitselected
duringabidprocessforthesefacilities.OSHPDimposesadditionalrequirementsonarackdesign,foremostit
requiresthattherackmustbecertifiedbyshaketabletestingsincealltheirfacilitiesareessentialorrisk
categoryIV.TheshaketablecertificationisactuallyarequirementimposedbyCaliforniaBuildingCode(CBC)
2010revisionwhichOSHPDreferences.

34
TheadditionalitemthatOSHPDdoesimposeforloadingthatrequiresrackssatisfyingtheheaviestseismic
conditionstobemademorerobustisthattheunitundertestmustbetestedat45degreestothetwo
horizontaldirectionsinadditiontothestandardtwohorizontaldirectionsthattheothercodestestto.
3

Alternatively,existingdesignscanbetestedbutmaybelimitedinapplicationiftheydonotreachthefulltest
limits.Thismaybeacceptableiftheacceptedparametermeetsufficientmarketneed,thusnotrequiringanew
design.OSHPDalsorequirestheracktobetestedwithalltheactualbatteriesthattherackistohold.Forracks
designedtoholdavarietyofdifferentbatteries,thisischallengingtohaveallthedifferentconfigurations
included.

AkeyelementinobtaininganyOSHPDpreapprovalistohavealltestingandinterfacingconductedthrougha
certifiedCaliforniaStructuralEngineer.IftestingaracksystemtoonlyIBC,havingaCASEconsultonthetest
planandbepartofthetestreportwritingandapprovalwillhelptoensurethatkeyelementsareincludedthat
willassistinanyfutureOSHPDapprovalsubmittaloftheresults.

Certification:ShakeTableTestingvs.Analysis
WithCBCandOSHPDrequiringshaketabletestcertification,manyotherAuthoritiesHavingJurisdiction(AHJs)
havestartedspecifyingthatracksinessentialfacilityinstallationbecertifiedbyshaketabletesting.These
requirementshavebeenseeninspecificationforseveralwesternUSstatesincludingWA,OR,NV,andMTwith
morespecsbeingwrittenwiththisrequirement.Forrackdesignsthatwerecertifiedbyanalysis,thisisanadded
costforcomplianceandiseithertakenasanexceptiontothespecificationrequirement,oriftheopportunityis
sufficientinsize,thetestingisconducted.

IBC2012doesnotexplicitlystatethatshaketabletestingisrequiredforcertification,butwiththevarious
differentagencycodesreferencedbyIBC,therequirementsbecomeamatterofinterpretation.Themarket
appearstobemovingtowardsshaketablecertificationforvalidationofthedesignforessentialfacilitiesto
assurethattherackwillbestandingaftertheseismiceventasrequiredbyitsclassification.Shaketabletestingis
thebestvalidationofthedesign,buthasasignificantcostgiventhesizeandweightoflargebatteryrack
systems.Theweightandsizeofthesesystemsalsolimitstestingtoonlyafewtestlabsinthecountry.For
examplewithasystemthatAptusistesting,theentiresystemweighsover18,000lbsandis8feetlong,only3
or4testtablenationallycanhandlethatlargeofasystemtotheloadsnecessaryforcertification.

AnchoringchangeswiththeACI31805
IBC2005firstreferencedtheAmericanConcreteInstitutescodeACI31805foranchoringrequirementsfor
structures,butdidnotfullyadopttheACIrequirementuntilthe2009update.ThepreviousACI318versions
onlyrequiredthattheanchorsbestrongenoughtocarrytheloadimpartedonthem.InACI31805,thefailure
modewasconsideredintheanalysis.Abrittlefractureoftheconcrete(i.e.anchorpullout/conecracking)isno
longerpermittedinthedesign.Theconnectiontotheslabcouldnolongerbetheweaklink,theanchoror
structureconnectedtoithastobetheyieldingmembertofailure.Ifthedesignindicatesthatabrittlefacture
willoccur,thedesignispenalizedwitha0.4factortotheallowableload.Whatistheresultofthis?

1. Newerdesignstendtohavesmalleranchorsandmoreofthem.
o Upside:Distributestheloadingoveralargerareaoftheconcreteminimizingthechanceofa
brittlefracture.
o Downside:Moreanchorholestodrill
35
36
2. Longeranchorsrequiredifminimizinganchorholesorutilizinglargerdiameteranchors
o CommonforhistoricdesignscreatedandcertifiedtoearlierACI318versions
o Downside:Frequentlyrequires3.5to3.75inanchorsminimum.Withthedrilldepthof4inches
requiredfora3.75in.longanchor,andatypicalfloorconcretepourdepthof4inches,the
anchorsarebreakingthoughthefloors.
Breakthroughrequiresaddingplatestothefloorundersideandboltingthestructure
throughthefloor.
Alternatively,anadapterplatehastobecreatedtochangetheboltpatternandcarry
theloadwhichmayimpactcertification.
o Thisisanexampleofwherethechangeinanchoringrequirementhasledtoproblemswiththe
standardconcretefloordepth.

Theloadsimpartedontraditionallightseismicrackdesignstendnottobesevereenoughtocausesignificant
changesintheiranchoring,buttheconfigurationshavetobecheckedfortotalloadingatthesiteitisbeing
installed.

Theheavyseismicdesignstendtobethemostimpactedastheserackversionsseethehighestanchorloadsand
alargerackbeinghelddownbyonlytwolargeanchorsmaynolongermeettheanchoringrequirementsofACI
31805.

Conclusion
ThecertificationrequirementsforrackshavechangedwiththeretirementoftheUBCcodeandtheadoptionof
theIBCcode.Thesechangeshaveresultedinimpactstotherackdesignsespeciallyfortheheavierseismic
designs,makingthemmorerobustbutdrivinguprackcosts.Othercodesandstandardsimpactrackdesign.
IncludingcoverageforIEEE693andprovisionsforOSHPDcanhelpmaximizerackcoverageinthemarketplace.
Abalancemustbemaintainedasnosinglerackcancosteffectivelysatisfyeveryone.WiththeCBCandOSHPD
requiringshaketabletestingofessentialfacilityracks,andmoreagenciesadoptingthisrequirementinother
states,shaketabletestingofdesignsisnotonlybecomingdesired,itisbecomingarequirement.Theseareall
factorstoconsiderindevelopingnewrackdesignsorinqualifyingexistingdesignstothenewrequirements.

SpecialthanksareextendedtoBrettMcElhaneyfromMcElhaneyStructuralEngineers,LLCinReno,NVforhis
assistancewiththeIBCcodedetailsofthispaper.BrettisacertifiedCAPEandNVSE.

References
1
http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/fdd/PreApproval/OSHPDSpecialSeismicCertificationPreapproval.pdf
2
BrettMcElhaney,McElhaneyStrucuturalEngineers,LLCinReno,NV
3
ClaytonForbes,NTS,NEBS2012ConferencePresentationReliableMechanicalDesigns