Numerical study on semi-rigid racking frames under sway

The analysis of pinned-base pallet rack frames under a combination of point loads normal to the ground and with proportionally increasing side loads has been analysed theoretically. The side loads produced moment-reversal in the beam-column joints. The analysis compared the use of three different models of beam-column joint behaviour—an accurate multi-linear model with different loading and unloading stiffnesses and two bi-linear models often used in design. The results were compared with experiments and showed that the multi-linear model accurately predicted both deflections and moments. The two bi-linear models were unable to model moment-reversal correctly.