Reference Type: Journal Article Record Number: 1 Author: Ślęczka, L. and Kozłowski, A. Year: 2007 Title: Experimental and theoretical investigations of pallet racks connections Journal: Advanced Steel Construction Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Pages: 21 Start Page: 607 Short Title: Experimental and theoretical investigations of pallet racks connections DOI: 10.18057/IJASC.2007.3.2.6 Keywords: Storage pallet racks, component method, semi-rigid connection, experimental tests Abstract: Steel storage pallet racks are three-dimensional framed structures, similar to multi-storey building structures. They are widely used for the storage of different types of materials. To provide the easy accessibility to stored products, pallet racks are not braced in down-aisle direction. The only source of the stiffness required for down-aisle stability is the stiffness of the connections between columns and beams, and the stiffness of the column bases. Connections between columns and beams are realized by means of different types of mechanical devices (tabs, hooks etc) without the need of using bolts and welds. Such joints have non-linear  φ − M characteristic. Most of the recent design codes and papers recommend experimental tests of beam-to-column connections to obtain semi-rigid joint characteristics that can be applied in the global analysis. The aim of this paper is to present application of the component method to assess main joint properties, i.e. the moment resistance and initial stiffness of storage rack joints. Results obtained using developed model are compared with the test results. Author Address: Rzeszów University of Technology, Department of Building Structures, W. Pola 2, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland