When purchasing a mezzanine or structural platform to expand your processing space, there are a number of factors to consider &#; many of which deal with the structural capacity of your plant.
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While purchasing a mezzanine is a cost-effective way to expand your operations and storage space, the extra load on your floor slap and placement of the support columns are crucial factors when purchasing and installing a structural mezzanine.
Talk with your mezzanine company to ensure the following factors are accounted for:
One of the first things to look at is where the mezzanine will be located in your plant. Does it provide enough ceiling space? Will it be tied into current production lines? Should future expansions be considered into the design? Location is key to determining the following factors.
It is imperative that you know whether your current floor slab has enough capacity to support your new mezzanine. If you don&#;t know the capacity, conduct a slab and soil analysis. Your mezzanine may require extra footings to add support.
The purpose of a mezzanine is to add more processing space, not eliminate the space. Make sure the column supports are placed appropriately to avoid interruption of your main floor level processes.
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Don&#;t think your calculations are correct just because a building plan reviewer signs off on it. Only a professional engineer will factor in floor slab capacity and the mezzanine configuration to support your processes.
Failure to include these factors in your decision, especially during installation of your new structural mezzanine, can spell a costly disaster. If the floor slab in your plant can&#;t support the extra load of the mezzanine, it won&#;t be long until serious problems arise &#; anything from cracks in your flooring to the collapse of your mezzanine.
Work with a professional to determine what your facility can hold before committing to purchasing a mezzanine.
What is the floor area below? divide by 3
What is the area of the intermediate floor? is this greater than answer from above, if yes design fails the exception for mezzanine. Consider it a 2nd floor, then does the design meet the requirements for 2 story building?
MEZZANINE. An intermediate level or levels between the floor and ceiling of any story and in accordance with Section 505.
Does not say anything about occupied, unoccupied or storage.
IBC
505.2.1 Area limitation. The aggregate area of a mezzanine or mezzanines within a room shall be not greater than one-third of the floor area of that room or space in which they are located. The enclosed portion of a room shall not be included in a determination of the floor area of the room in which the mezzanine is located. In determining the allowable mezzanine area, the area of the mezzanine shall not be included in the floor area of the room.
Where a room contains both a mezzanine and an equipment platform, the aggregate area of the two raised floor levels shall be not greater than two-thirds of the floor area of that room or space in which they are located.
Exceptions:
1. The aggregate area of mezzanines in buildings and structures of Type I or II construction for special industrial occupancy in accordance with
Section 503.1.1 shall be not greater than two thirds of the floor area of the room.
2. The aggregate area of mezzanines in buildings and structures of Type I or II construction shall be not greater than one-half of the floor area of the room in buildings and structures equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 and an approved emergency voice/alarm communication system in accordance with Section 907.5.2.2.
505.2.3 Openness. A mezzanine shall be open and unobstructed to the room in which such mezzanine is located except for walls not more than 42 inches ( mm) in height, columns and posts.
Exceptions:
1. Mezzanines or portions thereof are not required to be open to the room in which the mezzanines are located, provided that the occupant load of the aggregate area of the enclosed space is not greater than 10. Some mezzanines are enclosed. Over the pharmacy in CVS and the like is a stock storage mezzanine.
2. A mezzanine having two or more exits or access to exits is not required to be open to the room in which the mezzanine is located.
3. Mezzanines or portions thereof are not required to be open to the room in which the mezzanines are located, provided that the aggregate floor area of the enclosed space is not greater than 10 percent of the mezzanine area.
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