January 27, 2026

Structural Analysis Considerations for Industrial Steel Structures

Industrial steel structures—such as pipe racks, material handling systems, transfer structures, and equipment supports—present a distinct set of challenges compared to conventional building design. These systems are often governed by heavy equipment loads, irregular geometry, non-building load combinations, and serviceability or constructability constraints that demand careful analytical judgment. Unlike repetitive floor-framed buildings, industrial structures tend to be highly bespoke. Each project requires deliberate decisions around idealization, load application, boundary conditions, and analysis method to ensure the model reflects real structural behavior. Industrial Steel Starts With Load Behavior, Not Geometry Industrial structures are governed by: Concentrated equipment reactions Eccentric gravity loads Operational and thermal effects Wind and seismic loads applied to open frames, not diaphragms RISA-3D modeling tip: Model loads where they physically act Apply equipment loads at true attachment points, not “clean” nodes Use point loads, line loads, and plate surface loads instead of smeared tributary assumptions For wind on open frames, use Open Structure Wind Loads so projected area — not member count — controls demand If wind pressure varies around complex geometry, projected plate loads (PX, PY) allow RISA-3D to calculate realistic force reduction automatically — something that would be painful to do by hand. Torsion Is Often…

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