Load Patterns of Aerial Silk

Performers; Human impact loads;

Limit States Design
International Society for Fall Protection 2016 Symposium, Atlanta, Georgia

Leonard Pianalto, M.Sc., P.Eng,, LEED AP, FEC - Associate

Kelsey Van Steele, P.Eng., PMP, LEED AP - Project Engineer
Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd., Vancouver, BC , Canada

Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd.

Creative Thinking Practical Results

4 PULLEY TO
STRUCTURE

4 PULLEY TO
STRUCTURE

WIRE ROPE
2 PULLEY

BUBBLE
200 lbs +
PERFORMER
PEAK LOAD

7/16
STATIC
LINE

4 PULLEY

CONTROL
PLATFORM
3:1

Initial Climb

Slide Drop

Tick Tock Drop

Knee Drop

STRUCTURAL
MEMBER

Unnamed Drop

PEAK LOAD
FROM TEST

WRAP SLING AROUND STRUCTURAL MEMBER

TO ATTACH PULLEYS AT POINTS A,B,C & D. DO
NOT CONNECT TO MONORAIL

ANSI E1.43
10X WORKING LOAD
6X CHARACTERISTIC LOAD
3X PEAK LOAD

MONORAIL

ANSI E1.43

DESIGN LOAD

Standard / Code /
Description
Regulation
2 x 8 kN
CSA Z259.16 provides a
variety of calculated values. Ballast Anchor force*
1.5 x A**

Value
3600 lb (16 kN)
3240 lb (14.4 kN)
4050 lb (18 kN)

CSA Z271 provides a

variety of values

Tested without deformation 2500 lb (11.1 kN)

3500 lb (15.6 kN)
Factored
5000 lb (22.2 kN)
Ultimate

ROPE ACCESS
Part 34 Worksafe BC

2 x MAF, where MAF = 1350 2700 lb (12 kN)

lb (6 kN)

ANSI E1.43

10 x Working Load Limit*** 1700 lb (7.6 kN)

3300 lb (14.7 kN)
6 x Characteristic load
n/a
3 x Peak Load

Activity

Risk of Death RELATIVE

(x10-6/year) TO STRUCURAL
FAILURE

Swimming

170

1,700 x

Cigarette Smoking

1000

10,000 x

Air Travel

24

240 x

Car Travel

200

2,000 x

Construction Work

150-440 3,000 x

Building Fires

8-24

Structural Failures

0.1

NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES

*us = 0.5 and uk = 0.45

**A = fall arrest load 12 kN
***characteristic load of 550 lb.

APPLIED
LOAD

150 x
MAGNITUDE OF OCCURRENCE

Melchers 1987

NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES

NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES

APPLIED
LOAD

LOAD
FACTOR

FACTORED
LOAD

RESISTANCE
FACTOR
MATERIAL
STRENGTH

FACTORED
STRENGTH

NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES

MAGNITUDE OF OCCURRENCE

APPLIED
LOAD

MAGNITUDE OF OCCURRENCE

RESISTANCE
FACTOR

LOAD
FACTOR

MATERIAL
STRENGTH

FACTORED
LOAD
FACTORED
STRENGTH

FAILURE

MAGNITUDE OF OCCURRENCE
Access Safety Ltd. Calgary AB

Worker
Mass

Lanyard Stiffness

Peak Force

Impact Factor

91 kg

Normal 250 MPa

10.3 kN

11.5

140 kg

Normal 250 MPa

13.1 kN

9.5

91 kg

Stiff 500 MPa

14.2 kN

15.9

140 kg

Stiff 500 MPa

17.8 kN

13.0

6 kN
8 kN

APPLIED
LOAD

%& = ?
FACTORED
STRENGTH

MATERIAL
STRENGTH

12 kN

16 kN

Potential Energy = Strain Energy

PEAK FORCE
18 kN

Impact Factor:
Drop
= 1.8 m
Height
Stretch

=




= 1+

1 +
 .


  = 

Take a guess
at what the
data MIGHT
look like

   = ! " 
#$ 

   = !  

6 kN
8 kN

APPLIED
LOAD

%& = 2.0
FACTORED
STRENGTH

6 kN

MATERIAL
STRENGTH

8 kN

12 kN

12 kN

16 kN

16 kN

18 kN

18 kN

Take a guess
at what the
data MIGHT
look like

    ! " 
#$ 

    !  
    2.0 8 "+  16 "+

Take a guess
at what the
data MIGHT
look like

APPLIED
LOAD

FACTORED
STRENGTH

MATERIAL
STRENGTH

%& = 1.5

    ! " 
#$ 

    !  
    1.5 16 "+  24 "+

Thank-you
Revise Load Factors for
Specific Cases in ANSI
E1.43
Unify loads and load factors
to achieve a reliability
consistent with Building
Codes
More testing and research

Peter Boulanger and Ninon Parent

Ray Daxon and Bishnu Pandey

Creative Thinking Practical Results

Structural Engineering
Structural Glass
Structural Restoration
Building Science
Parking Facility Design
Fall Protection

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