Grating Strength

"GRATING" --- GRATING ANALYSIS / DESIGN

Program Description:

"GRATING" is a spreadsheet program written in MS-Excel for the purpose of analysis and design of welded steel grating and fabricated aluminum bar grating.  Specifically, light duty steel or aluminum grating covered floors, platforms, walkways, trenches, etc. subjected to uniformly distributed gravity loading (dead + live), along with a concentrated line load may be analyzed.  Light duty steel or aluminum grating may also be analyzed for an imposed wheel or post load.  Heavy duty steel grating may be analyzed for vehicular wheels loads from either lift trucks with designated capacity or from AASHTO truck loading (H-20 and H-15).  Bending stresses and deflections are checked against allowable values.  Allowable load tables for grating are included for quick selection of grating size or clear span based on either uniformly distributed  or concentrated line loading, and allow for user input of a clear span value not specifically noted in the tables.

This program is a workbook consisting of nine (9) worksheets, described as follows:

Worksheet NameDescription

DocThis documentation sheet

Light Duty Steel - Light duty welded steel grating analysis and design

Light Duty Steel (wheel or post) - Light duty welded steel grating analysis and design for wheel or post load

Heavy Duty Steel - Heavy duty welded steel grating analysis and design

Heavy Duty Steel (wheel) - Heavy duty welded steel grating analysis and design for wheel load

Light Duty Steel Table - Light duty welded steel grating allowable load table

Aluminum - Light duty aluminum bar grating analysis and design

Aluminum (Wheel or Post) - Light duty aluminum bar grating analysis and design for wheel or post load

Aluminum Table - Light duty auminum bar grating allowable load table

Program Assumptions and Limitations:

1.  This program is based on the following references:

         a. "Product Catalog - Architectural & Industrial Grating Solutions" - by Ohio Gratings, Inc., July 2005

         b. "PIP STE05530 - Grating Design Guide" - by Process Industry Practices, Oct. 2007

         c. "Metal Bar Grating Engineering Design Manual" MBG 534-12 by National Association of Architectural Metal Manufacturers (NAAMM)

2.  This program handles welded steel grating of the following types/styles: 

         a. Light Duty Type W-19-4 (bearing bars spaced at 1-3/16" (19/16") o.c. and cross bars spaced at 4" o.c.)

         b. Heavy Duty Type W-19-4 (bearing bars spaced at 1-3/16" (19/16") o.c. and cross bars spaced at 4" o.c.)

3.  This program handles aluminum bar grating of the following type/style: 

         a. Type W-19-4 (bearing bars spaced at 1-3/16" (19/16") o.c. and cross bars spaced at 4" o.c.)

4.  While the user can quickly and easily make a grating selection based on the applied loads directly from the 

         a grating vendor catalog, the four (4) calculation-type worksheets in this workbook provide the user with the ability to demonstrate the selection and analysis with actual calculations if desired or required.

5.  In the "Light Duty Steel Table" and the "Aluminum Table" worksheets, after the design load is determined, the Tables may be used to quickly determine the required grating size and/or support beam spacing.

6.  In the "Light Duty Steel Table" and the "Aluminum Table" worksheets, just to the right of the Tables, the user may input a specific clear span length, 'L', to calculate the allowable loads and actual deflections for that specified value.

Calculation Reference

Structural Steel Design

Grating Strength

Structural Aluminium Design