HOW TO USE THE SESS STRAIGHTEDGE AND GAUAGE

beam side diagram bend to show damage
beam front damage
damage rack bracing to display straight edge instructions

The SESS straightedge and gauge are used for measuring simple damage to racking frame uprights and bracings, in order to classify the degree of risk in accordance with the limits given in FEM 10.2.04. 

The STRAIGHTEDGE is a flat shatterproof plastic strip 1.0 metre long, rigid along the thin bevelled edge, but flexible in the other direction. 


The GAUGE has 3 sections:

The thin bevelled edge is placed in contact with a flat surface on the concave side of the damaged upright or bracing such that the damaged area lies central, as near as possible, to the length of the straight edge.

The amount of damage can be checked using the gauge with the appropriate section. 

For an upright bent in the direction of the rack beam spans, the maximum gap between the upright and the straight edge should not exceed 5 mm.

For an upright bent in the plane of the frame bracing, the maximum gap between the upright and the straight edge should not exceed 3 mm.

For an upright which has been damaged such that there is a simultaneous bend in both longitudinal and lateral directions, the left-to-right and the front-to-back deformation shall be measured and treated separately and the appropriate 5 mm and 3 mm limits observed. 

For bracing members bent in either plane, the gap between the straight edge and the bracing member should not exceed 10 mm, or pro rata for bracings shorter than 1 m.