Structural mezzanine within an existing warehouse

A steel mezzanine inserted into an operating warehouse, used here to demonstrate how alteration projects are presented.

Placeholder entry. This page demonstrates the project detail layout. The project name, location, year, scope and any client attribution are outstanding and must be confirmed by the practice before publication.

Role

Structural engineer

Structural system

Steel beam and column mezzanine on new pad footings, independent of the existing frame

Structure type

Independent steel mezzanine

Existing structure

Assessed, not relied upon for new load

Stage

Design and documentation

Scope

Assessment of the existing slab and frame
Mezzanine framing and footing design
Stair and edge protection structural design
Documentation for building approval

The constraint

Inserting a floor into a building that is already operating means the new structure has to land somewhere the occupier can afford to lose, and it has to be built without shutting the facility down.

Structural approach

The mezzanine is framed independently on its own columns and footings rather than hung from or braced against the existing portal frame. That avoids adding load to a structure whose original design basis may not be fully documented, and it keeps the two systems separable.

Verification of existing structure

The existing slab was assessed for the new footing loads before any reliance was placed on it. Where the original design documentation was unavailable, capacity was established by inspection and measurement rather than assumption.