The UK Network of Building Surveyors and Structural Engineers
www.surveyorsreports.co.uk
www.engineersreports.co.uk
1ERSL\20465
July 2012
STRUCTURAL CALCULATIONS
FOR
BALUSTRADES
USING BALCONY 2 SYSTEM HANDRAIL
WITH INTERNAL REINFORCING BAR
BY
BALCONY SYSTEMS LIMITED
Balcony 2 System, posts in Royal Chrome
page 1 of 11
Prepared by : WRD Engineers Limited
Registered in England: No. 07977613 : The Stables, Rear of 60 The Avenue, SOUTHAMPTON, SO17 1XS
T D White CEng MICE MIHT MCIArb * M D Royall ACGI BSc CEng MICE MCIArb
* Philippa Dixon BSc CEng MICE
The UK Network of Building Surveyors and Structural Engineers
www.surveyorsreports.co.uk
www.engineersreports.co.uk
1ERSL\20465
July 2012
Balcony 2 system section
page 2 of 11
Prepared by : WRD Engineers Limited
Registered in England: No. 07977613 : The Stables, Rear of 60 The Avenue, SOUTHAMPTON, SO17 1XS
T D White CEng MICE MIHT MCIArb * M D Royall ACGI BSc CEng MICE MCIArb
* Philippa Dixon BSc CEng MICE
The UK Network of Building Surveyors and Structural Engineers
www.surveyorsreports.co.uk
www.engineersreports.co.uk
1ERSL\20465
July 2012
BALUSTRADE LOADS:
The balustrade is designed to resist the horizontal imposed loads specified in Table 4 of BS
6399-1:1996 (see below), covering occupancy classes A(i) and (ii), B(iii), (iv) and (v),
C3(viii) and (ix), and (iii), (iv) and (iii).
Handrail: The handrail is designed for a uniformly distributed horizontal imposed line load of
0.74 kN/m (164 pounds per metre approximately).
2
Glass infill: The glass infill is designed for a uniformly distributed load of 1.0 kN/m (220
pounds per square metre approximately) plus a point load of 0.5 kN (110 pounds
approximately).
Table 4
Minimum horizontal imposed loads for parapets, barriers and balustrades, etc.
Horizontal A uniformly A point
Type of occupancy uniformly distributed load
for part of the Examples of specific use distributed load applied to
building or line load applied to part of
structure (kN/m) the infill the infill
(kN/m2) (kN)
A Domestic and (i) All areas within or serving exclusively 0.36 0.5 0.25
residential one [A1] single family [A1] dwelling
activities including stairs, landings, etc but
excluding external balconies and edges of
roofs (see C3 ix)
(ii) Other residential, (but also see C) 0.74 1.0 0.5
B and E Offices (iii) Light access stairs and gangways not 0.22 N/A N/A
and work areas not more than 600mm wide
included elsewhere (iv) Light pedestrian traffic routes in 0.36 0.5 0.25
including storage industrial and storage buildings except
areas designated escape routes
(v) Areas not susceptible to overcrowding in 0.74 1.0 0.5
office and institutional buildings also
industrial and storage buildings except as
given above
C Areas where (vi) Areas having fixed seating within 530 1.5 1.5 1.5
people may mm of the barrier, balustrade or parapet
congregate (vii) Restaurants and bars 1.5 1.5 1.5
C1/C2 Areas with
tables or fixed
seating
C3 Areas without (viii) Stairs, landings, corridors, ramps 0.74 1.0 0.5
obstacles for (ix) External balconies and edges of roofs. 0.74 1.0 0.5
moving people and Footways and pavements within building
not susceptible to curtilage adjacent to basement/sunken areas
overcrowding
C5 Areas (x) Footways or pavements less than 3 m wide 1.5 1.5 1.5
susceptible to adjacent to sunken areas
overcrowding (xi) Theatres, cinemas, discotheques, bars, 3.0 1.5 1.5
auditoria, shopping malls, assembly areas,
studio. Footways or pavements greater than
3 m wide adjacent to sunken areas
(xii) [A1] Grandstands and stadia [A1] See requirements of the appropriate
certifying authority
D Retail areas (xiii) All retain areas including public 1.5 1.5 1.5
areas of banks/building societies or betting
shops. For areas where overcrowding may
occur, see C5
F/G Vehicular (xiv) Pedestrian areas in car parks 1.5 1.5 1.5
including stairs, landings, ramps, edges or
internal floors, footways, edges of roofs
(xv) Horizontal loads imposed by vehicles See clause 11
[A1] Not deleted [A1]
page 3 of 11
Prepared by : WRD Engineers Limited
Registered in England: No. 07977613 : The Stables, Rear of 60 The Avenue, SOUTHAMPTON, SO17 1XS
T D White CEng MICE MIHT MCIArb * M D Royall ACGI BSc CEng MICE MCIArb
* Philippa Dixon BSc CEng MICE
The UK Network of Building Surveyors and Structural Engineers
www.surveyorsreports.co.uk
www.engineersreports.co.uk
1ERSL\20465
July 2012
VERTICAL LOADS:
BS 6399-1:1996 also specifies that handrails shall be designed for a vertical
uniformly distributed imposed line load of 0.60 kN/m or a concentrated load of 1.0 kN,
whichever gives the worst design condition in combination with the horizontal loading
in Table 4.
Vertical loads on the handrail are transmitted direct to the balcony structure through
the 10mm thick thermally toughened safety glass. The concentrated load is spread
by the handrail. The maximum compressive stress on the glass is 600 / 10 x 1000
= 0.06 N/mm2. This is a low value of compressive stress and well within the safe
allowable stress recommended by Pilkington Glass Ltd, the glass manufacturer.
ALUMINIUM PROPERTIES:
Design standard = BS 8118:Part 1:1991 ‘The Structural use of aluminium’.
Material type = Extruded aluminium type 6063 T5
Limiting stress for
bending and overall
yielding = Po = 110 N/mm2 (Table 4.1)
Limiting stress for
tension or
compression = Ps = 130 N/mm2 (Table 4.1)
Limiting stress for
shear = Pv = 65 N/mm2 (Table 4.1)
Factored resistance = Calculated member capacity based upon the limiting
capacity of a member stresses Po Ps & Pv divided by the material factor γ m
Material factor = γ m = 1.20
FACTORED LOADS:
Factored loads are used for checking the limit state of static strength of a member.
The imposed loads tabulated on Page 3 are known as ‘service loads’. These loads
are multiplied by a load factor γ of 1.33 (Table 3.1) to give ‘limit state’ design loads
that are used in relation to the factored resistance capacity of a member.
DEFLECTION:
All structural members deflect to some extent under load.
For balustrade handrails the displacement at any point from its original unloaded
position is limited to 25mm under service load conditions.
page 4 of 11
Prepared by : WRD Engineers Limited
Registered in England: No. 07977613 : The Stables, Rear of 60 The Avenue, SOUTHAMPTON, SO17 1XS
T D White CEng MICE MIHT MCIArb * M D Royall ACGI BSc CEng MICE MCIArb
* Philippa Dixon BSc CEng MICE
The UK Network of Building Surveyors and Structural Engineers
www.surveyorsreports.co.uk
www.engineersreports.co.uk
1ERSL\20465
July 2012
BALUSTRADES
page 5 of 11
Prepared by : WRD Engineers Limited
Registered in England: No. 07977613 : The Stables, Rear of 60 The Avenue, SOUTHAMPTON, SO17 1XS
T D White CEng MICE MIHT MCIArb * M D Royall ACGI BSc CEng MICE MCIArb
* Philippa Dixon BSc CEng MICE
The UK Network of Building Surveyors and Structural Engineers
www.surveyorsreports.co.uk
www.engineersreports.co.uk
1ERSL\20465
July 2012
BALUSTRADES - Balcony 2 System handrail with internal bar
Moment capacity of handrail = (Po) X Zyy
for horizontal loads (γ m)
= 110 N/mm2 x 22.908 cm3 x (10)-3
1.2
= 2.10 kNm
Applied design load = 0.74 x 1.33
(ultimate limit state)
= 0.984 kN/m
Horizontal moment = w L2
on handrail 8
The handrail is restrained in the vertical direction by the toughened glass.
Allowable span L between = ( 8 x M ) 0.5
posts based upon the ( w )
moment of the handrail
L = ( 8 x 2.10 ) 0.5
( 0.984 )
= 4.132 m
say = 4.00 metres
Service load deflection:
Horizontal service load = 0.74 kN/m
on handrail
Limiting service load = 25 mm
deflection
Deflection of handrail = 5 w L4
based upon a simply 384 E l
supported span between
points of support
page 6 of 11
Prepared by : WRD Engineers Limited
Registered in England: No. 07977613 : The Stables, Rear of 60 The Avenue, SOUTHAMPTON, SO17 1XS
T D White CEng MICE MIHT MCIArb * M D Royall ACGI BSc CEng MICE MCIArb
* Philippa Dixon BSc CEng MICE
The UK Network of Building Surveyors and Structural Engineers
www.surveyorsreports.co.uk
www.engineersreports.co.uk
1ERSL\20465
July 2012
BALUSTRADES - Balcony 2 system handrail with internal reinforcing bar
Service load deflection (continued):
Service load deflection = 5 (740 x 4.00) (4000)3
on a span of 4000mm 384 x 70000 x 138 x (10)4
= 25.53 mm = slightly > 25mm but
= say OK
Balcony 2 system posts:
The design horizontal load on the handrail is applied 1.1m above balcony floor level.
The posts are installed at a maximum spacing of 2.1m.
page 7 of 11
Prepared by : WRD Engineers Limited
Registered in England: No. 07977613 : The Stables, Rear of 60 The Avenue, SOUTHAMPTON, SO17 1XS
T D White CEng MICE MIHT MCIArb * M D Royall ACGI BSc CEng MICE MCIArb
* Philippa Dixon BSc CEng MICE
The UK Network of Building Surveyors and Structural Engineers
www.surveyorsreports.co.uk
www.engineersreports.co.uk
1ERSL\20465
July 2012
BALUSTRADES - Balcony 2 system posts (continued)
properties of post: To allow for the fact that the end flanges of the
channels are not parallel, the post is assumed
to be equivalent to a rectangular hollow section
60 x 24mm overall, with 3mm thick side walls
and 5mm thick end walls.
second moment of area = I xx
about the X – X axis = 24.45 cm4
section modulus = 8.15 cm3
about the X –X axis
steel grade = S 275
moment capacity = 1.2 x Py x Z
about the X-X axis = 1.2 x 275 x 8.15 x (10)-3
(ultimate) = 2.689 kNm
ultimate design horizontal = 0.984 kN/m
load on the handrail
ultimate design moment = 0.984 x 1.10
on the posts = 1.0824 kNm/m
= 2.273 kNm/post @ 2.10m centres
= < 2.689 kNm/post
= OK
service load deflection = P L3
on a post supporting a 3EI
2.1m length of handrail
= (740 x 2.1) (1100)3
3 x 205000 x 24.45 x (10)4
= 13.76 mm
service load deflection on = 5wL4
the handrail based upon 384 EI
a simply supported span
of 2.1m = 5 (740 x 2.1)(2100)3
384 x 70000 x 138 x (10)4
= 1.94 mm
combined total deflection
of handrail and post = 13.76 + 1.94
= 14.70 mm = < 25 mm = OK
page 8 of 11
Prepared by : WRD Engineers Limited
Registered in England: No. 07977613 : The Stables, Rear of 60 The Avenue, SOUTHAMPTON, SO17 1XS
T D White CEng MICE MIHT MCIArb * M D Royall ACGI BSc CEng MICE MCIArb
* Philippa Dixon BSc CEng MICE
The UK Network of Building Surveyors and Structural Engineers
www.surveyorsreports.co.uk
www.engineersreports.co.uk
1ERSL\20465
July 2012
BALUSTRADES: Balcony 2 system post base plates and bolts:
Posts at 2.10m spacing:
base plate thickness = 14mm
plate width = 140mm
modulus of plate (Z) = 14 x (1.4)2
6
= 4.5733 cm4
ultimate moment capacity = Py x Z
of base plate (Mc)
= 275 N/mm2 x 4.5733 x (10) -3
= 1.2577 kNm
lever arm between bolt centres = 82mm
in the direction of applied load
ultimate load pull = 1.0824 x 2.1
pull out force on 0.082
2 No. bolts
= 27.72 kN
= 13.86 kN/bolt (ultimate load)
= 10.42 kN/bolt (working load)
distance from face of post to = 40mm
centre of bolts in tension
moment on base plate = tension force on 2 No. bolts x 40mm
(ultimate load)
= 27.72 kN x 0.04
= 1.109 kNm
= < 1.2577 kNm
= OK
page 9 of 11
Prepared by : WRD Engineers Limited
Registered in England: No. 07977613 : The Stables, Rear of 60 The Avenue, SOUTHAMPTON, SO17 1XS
T D White CEng MICE MIHT MCIArb * M D Royall ACGI BSc CEng MICE MCIArb
* Philippa Dixon BSc CEng MICE
The UK Network of Building Surveyors and Structural Engineers
www.surveyorsreports.co.uk
www.engineersreports.co.uk
1ERSL\20465
July 2012
BALUSTRADES: Balcony 2 System wall fixings
The handrail wall fixing consists of stainless steel angles bolted to the wall with 2 No.
stainless steel resin anchors and secured to the handrail with 2 No. stainless steel
Phillips screws.
For the maximum allowable span of the handrail of 4.0m between points of support,
the horizontal load on the wall fixings is as follows:
working load = 0.74 kN/m x 2.0
= 1.48 kN/fixing
= 0.74 kN/bolt (0.984 kN/bolt factored load)
The horizontal load on the handrail is assumed to be applied to the fixing angles at
the location of the Phillips screws 35mm from the back of the angle. The wall fixing
bolts are 27.5mm apart. The resulting working load direct tension (pull-out) force on
the bolts is 1.48 x 35/27.5 = 1.88 kN
page 10 of 11
Prepared by : WRD Engineers Limited
Registered in England: No. 07977613 : The Stables, Rear of 60 The Avenue, SOUTHAMPTON, SO17 1XS
T D White CEng MICE MIHT MCIArb * M D Royall ACGI BSc CEng MICE MCIArb
* Philippa Dixon BSc CEng MICE
The UK Network of Building Surveyors and Structural Engineers
www.surveyorsreports.co.uk
www.engineersreports.co.uk
1ERSL\20465
July 2012
BALUSTRADES – Balcony 2 System handrail with internal steel reinforcing bar
SUMMARY
1 On single span and corner balconies, the handrail is capable of supporting
the design factored loads over spans up to 4 metres between points of
support. (ie. a handrail wall fixing, or a handrail corner joint).
2 On longer balconies where the length of the balustrade exceeds 4.0m,
vertical posts are installed at a maximum spacing of 2.1 metres.
3. For the maximum spacing between the centres of posts of 2.1m, the working
load pull-out force on each of the bolts on the post base plate is 10.42 kN.
4. For the maximum allowable span on single span and corner balconies, the
horizontal working load shear force on each of the handrail wall fixing bolts is
0.74 kN. The co-existing working load pull-out force on the handrail wall
fixing bolts is 1.88 kN.
5. The installers should satisfy themselves that the fixing bolts chosen are
suitable to resist these loads, and also that the structure into which they are
installed can support these loads.
6. The toughened glass panels were test loaded by an independent testing
laboratory (Sandberg Consulting Engineers – report reference 26890/M) and
found to be adequate to withstand the design factored loads specified in
relevant British Standards.
END
page 11 of 11
Prepared by : WRD Engineers Limited
Registered in England: No. 07977613 : The Stables, Rear of 60 The Avenue, SOUTHAMPTON, SO17 1XS
T D White CEng MICE MIHT MCIArb * M D Royall ACGI BSc CEng MICE MCIArb
* Philippa Dixon BSc CEng MICE
