Re: Baseball Filed Fencing

It's all find and dandy if the columns calc out, but be confident that the footings will hold up.  If a geotechnical investigation has not been done, make sure that it is.  

On a Park/Rec project I am working on, the sports lighting consultant ended up designing 40' deep x 36" drilled piers.  Granted the soils are crap (liquefiable), and the footings need to reach the stiffer material.  But, even at 11-feet on-center, at 40-feet tall, there will still be some 'heavy' foundation work for 'such a lightweight structure.'

On Fri, Oct 29, 2010 at 7:51 AM, Larry Hauer <lhauer@live.com> wrote:

To All,
 
Thanks for the responses and we plan on putting a big note on our constr. drawings that no signage or covering shall be put over the chain link fencing. Of course they will end up doing it anyway, but I don't want to get this thing too massive, (right now- 8" diam. pipe columns @ 11' o.c. for a 40' high fence, (spliced to 6" diam. @ 20' up). Per CBC/ASCE requirements, I am NOT using a 33% stress increase, which should add a factor of safety in case signage is installed.
 
Thanks again,
 
Larry Hauer S.E.
 

 

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Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:52:43 -0700
From: sgordin@sgeconsulting.com
To: seaint@seaint.org
Subject: Re: Baseball Filed Fencing

Larry,

The last time I worked on a similar project, it was an extension of the existing backstop from the 36 to 48 ft height.  I first decided to use the references Tom recommended, but ended up calculating wind loads myself with ASCE 7.  The task was not too tedious, and, as I was able to justify Exposure B, the loads were not too high; however, they still added up fast.   

The existing chain link fence was actually covered with a much denser mesh with some vinyl signs on it.  I was told that the coach needed the mesh to protect the players from being blinded by the sun.   

I ended up sistering the existing posts, and was limited only by the size of the existing footings (which were luckily oversized).  In a new job, the actually difference between the solid and non-solid wall design - in terms of construction cost - is not that high.  My point is - how are you going to make sure no additional covering will be ever installed? I would recommend to play it safe.

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V. Steve Gordin SE
SGE Consulting Structural Engineers
www.sgeconsulting.com

Larry Hauer wrote:

To All,

I have to design some fencing around a baseball field which will be 40' high with columns at about 11' o.c. The fencing itself will be open chain link type and we will make sure that no covering be put over it. So, my question is: Any advice on designing the pipe columns, (and footings), for wind loading other than using the ASCE requirements with a reduction of surface area due to the open chain link fencing?

Thanks in Advance,

Larry Hauer S.E.

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David Topete, SE