Strength of hollow box section

[16v205]

Hi

Does anyone know if there is an easy to use online calculator for this or does anyone have a way to calculate the amount of weight hollow box section can hold before it deforms when supported at both ends and the weight is spread across its length?

I've got a 5ft wide gap (between 2x40ft shipping containers) and I'd like to build a walkway over it. I was going to use 100x50x3mm hollow box section in 5ft lengths, stood on its narrow side giving a 100mm wall, spaced every 1.5ft. I'm struggling to find a way to calculate how much weight a single span could hold.

I've asked a few mezzanine companies local to me to quote me for the job but only 1 replied saying there not interested in working on external flooring.

Thanks for any help

Rich

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

What are you looking to move over it, just people or heavy equipment ?

 

[TechnicAl]

Ive found these people are helpful

http://www.lk-uk.com/downloads/

 

[pedrobedro]

I usually work the other way round finding the most load I would like to support then find the material most suited to the purpose.

 

[16v205]

Thanks for the replys

The walkway would be for people and what they can carry in there hands, normally it would be 2 people and a 100kg dead weight so 300kgs call it. The actual weights will vary and mostly be lighter than this. At a maximum i wouldn't expect to see more than 500kg per sqm (guessing from vehicle capacity and carrying weights) no matter how hard you could try to overload the area. I'll be using welded mesh floor to spread the load over 3 horizontals at a time. 2 x edge support and 1 x central support.

The link for the welded mesh floor is similar to the stuff my local steel supplier has sourced for me, it may even be the same manufacturer but I'm not sure. By the looks of the link above the mesh on its own could span the gap but I would want to put horizontals across anyway including a horizontal under the centre of the mesh floor. I was just hoping to over engineer it all so the SWL will be much higher than the 500kg sq meter we have guessed at hence the 100x50 box sections.

Cheers
Rich

 

[dannyp]

100x50 will hold that no problem

 

[Paul.]

A single 1.5mtr long, 100 x 50 x 3 RHS simply supported and standing up on edge will support a 10.5 kn or 1070kg point load in the middle with a 3.3mm deflection, so 3 of them is way over engineered, or plenty strong enough depending on your point of view

Here's on I made to span some cables, made from 40 x 40 x 3 SHS
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=25025&highlight=walkway

 

[16v205]

Thank you for the help everyone, it's very much appreciated.
Ill build it massively over the top as always and ill sleep better at night for it.

Regards
Rich