• automated rack supported warehouses
• bearing failure
• finite element modeling
• thin-walled profiles

With the future aim of proposing possible solutions for earthquake-resistant automated storage racking systems (ARSWs), this work investigates the bearing resistance of bolted thin profiles and the possibility of exploiting the plastic ovalization of the bolted connection between diagonal and upright to increase the overall seismic performance.
In the transverse direction of the structure, the so-called cross-aisle direction, the diagonals are connected to the upright through a single bolt, and the main failure mechanism of the connection is plastic ovalization, due to the low thickness of the diagonal element. The bearing resistance is usually much lower than the element resistance. Given the difficulty of increasing the bearing resistance without also increasing the strength of the element, the idea is to take advantage of the ductility associated with plastic ovalization. The actual ovalization behavior has been validated by conducting an experimental campaign in which monotonic tensile and compressive tests are performed. Different configurations of the connections are tested to see how geometric parameters (i.e., connection hole size and location) affect the connection strength and diagonal behavior. This was followed by detailed finite element modeling, in order to understand the parameters governing the phenomenon more thoroughly and validate the experimental campaign, with a view to future studies on the recalibration of existing formulas on plastic ovality resistance of thin profiles.