Five Tips for Fiberglass FRP Grating Selection
Strongwell produces more than 100 different FRP grating series to meet a variety of customer needs. Applicable to both DURAGRID® pultruded and DURAGRATE® molded grating, the following advice will help select the most appropriate grating series for an application.
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1. Determine Design Criteria
Find FRP grating design criteria in the project specifications under Section 06 74 13 &#;Fiberglass Reinforced Gratings&#;. If unavailable, refer to ASCE 7-16, Table 4.3-1 for minimum live loads. Allowable deflection for FRP grating is usually limited to ¼" (6 mm) for pedestrian comfort. Larger deflections may be permissible for heavy, temporary loads. Deflection greater than ½" (12 mm) is not advisable due to prying action on hold down clips and potential loosening of fasteners. Long panels utilizing multispan conditions reduce panel deflection.Compare design loads to the grating Safe Load and you will find high Factors of Safety. Serviceability (not strength) generally controls FRP design.
2. Identify Constraints
Bearing bar height and/or spacing may determine grating series selection. Issues such as existing supports, ADA compliance, high heels, dropped objects, drainage, sunlight penetration, ventilation, and even vehicular traffic could be a requirement for a particular installation. With all these situations to consider, DURAGRID® I-1", I-1.5" and T-2" remain the most
common pultruded series selected. DURAGRATE® 1.5" thick x 1.5" square mesh is the most common molded grating series.
3. Select Resin
Generally, polyester is suitable for most conditions;vinyl ester for harsh chemical exposure and additional corrosion protection; phenolic where fire / smoke /toxicity are of primary concern.
Most Strongwell load tables are based upon polyester resin (PE) since vinyl ester (VE) resin has only slightly greater mechanical properties. Phenolic grating does have unique properties and separate load tables. As a visual indicator for grating resin, Strongwell cross rods are a light gray color for PE and black for VE. Refer to the Strongwell Corrosion Resistance Guide for specific chemical environments and select the appropriate resin.
4. Maximize Span
With your initial grating selection chosen, review load tables to determine the maximum span to meet load(s) and allowable deflection. Compare this to plan dimensions and determine support configuration. Selecting a taller bar allows longer grating spans and reduces the frequency of beams. This increases the load on each support beam, but fewer slightly larger beams is often more economical than additional smaller beams. If the beam spacing is considerably more/less than the maximum span, review load tables to see if other grating meets the design criteria.
5. Choose Appearance
A variety of bearing bar colors, surface grit and topcoat treatments are available for FRP grating. Yellow and light gray are standard bar colors. Fine grit is suitable for bare feet; standard medium grit for industrial uses; or coarse grit, if lubricants or debris collection are expected. A urethane top coat adds greater UV protection or custom colors.
Interested in learning more? Read our in-depth article comparing the use cases and performance properties of molded vs. pultruded fibgerglass grating.
Conclusion
With many geometric, material, assembly, and finishing options, FRP grating is able to meet the needs of nearly any application. Contact a member of the Strongwell team today with any questions about our FRP solutions.
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Five Tips For Selection FRP Gratings
Machs can offer you more than 100 types of FRP Grating. The following suggestions will help you choose the most appropriate raster series for your application.
1. Determine design criteria
The FRP grating design criteria were found in the project specification under Section 06 74, &#;Glass Fiber Enhancement Gratings&#;.
The allowable deviation of the FRP grille is usually limited to 1/4 inch (6 mm) to accommodate pedestrian comfort. For heavier temporary loads, the allowable deviation is larger. Deflection greater than 1&#;2 inch (12 mm) is not recommended and loose fasteners may be loosened due to snagging action on the retaining clip. Long panels with multiple spans reduce panel deflection. Comparing the design load to the grating safety load, you will find a high safety factor. Applicability (non-strength) usually controls the FRP design.
2. Determine the constraints
The height and/or spacing of the bearing rods determines the choice of grating series. Problems such as existing support, ADA compliance, high heels, falling objects, drainage, sun penetration, ventilation, and even vehicle traffic may be requirements for specific installations. With all these in mind, I-1, I-1.5 and T-2 are still the most common pultrusion series selection. thick x 1.5" square mesh is the most common molded grating series.
3. Select resin
In general, polyesters are suitable for most conditions; vinyl esters are used for harsh chemical exposures and additional corrosion protection; phenolic substances are primarily concerned with fire/smoke/toxicity.
Most load tables are based on polyester resin (PE) because vinyl ester (VE) resins have only slightly greater mechanical properties. Phenolic gratings do have unique properties and independent load tables. As a visual indicator of the grating resin, the crossbar is a light gray of PE and a black of VE. For specific chemical environments, please refer to the Corrosion Guide and select the appropriate resin.
4. Maximize span
After selecting the initial raster selection, the load table is checked to determine the maximum span that satisfies the load and allows deflection. Compare this to the plan dimensions and determine the support configuration. Choosing a taller bar allows for a longer grating span and reduces the frequency of the beam. This increases the load on each support beam, but fewer slightly larger beams are generally more economical than other smaller beams. If the beam spacing is much larger/less than the maximum span, check the load table to see if other gratings meet the design criteria.
5. Choose the appearance
FRP grilles are available in a variety of bearing strip colors, surface grit and topcoat finishes. Yellow and light gray are standard strip colors. Fine sand is suitable for bare feet; standard medium grit for industrial use; or coarse sand, if lubricant or debris is required. Polyurethane topcoats add enhanced UV protection or custom colors.
In conclusion
FRP gratings from Nantong Machs are available in a wide range of geometries, materials, assembly and finishing options to meet the needs of almost any application.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website frp products for sale.
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