Another Load Question

Another Load Question
	Post Reply		Engineering Forum

Posted by: Aktundra ^®

01/06/2010, 15:30:53

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As an accountant among a bunch of engineers, can I ask for some help wiht a problem I have been researching? I have found load tables on the internet for various materials. (not sure if I know how to read them). But how to you combine the individual loads of two materials when welded together. Shouldn't 1 + 1 = 3?

I live in Alaska, and I am trying to make a bridge/floatation aid for off-roading. In the winter it will be used to "ramp" up out of rivers when I break through the ice, and in the summer it will be used for floatation across mud bogs.

I drive an under powered, overloaded, Toyota Landcruiser and about the only place I can transport the floatation aids will be fairly high on my rig, so minimal weight will be important.

I would like to use the concept behind these devices designed for sand applications.

At this point I think I will start with Expanded metal safety grating

My hope is to get something that can support 1,500 lbs over a 36" to 48" free span. To minimize weight, I will need to use the Aluminum safety grating, and pursuant to the tables in the link above, these aluminum rails cannot support the loads and will need to be augmented.

What size aluminum "L" angle will I have to weld to each side of an aluminum 11 ¾ wide and 2" side expanded metal safety grating to increase the load capacity to 1,500 lbs ? I assume I could search the internet and find a load table for aluminum "L" angle (1 x 1 x 3/16, 1 x 2 x 1/8, etc etc), but when welded to the aluminum expanded metal grating, what is the combined capacity ?

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