MOUNTING STRUCTURES DESIGN

PITFALLS AND OPPORTUNITIES

NIMISH PRABHUKHANOLKAR
Partner/Founder – Agami Engineering
B.Tech/M.Tech IIT Bombay
M.IStructe (UK)
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We have a proven track-record of helping out companies engineer their products/structures –

from getting the fundamentals right, to making them competitive in business.

Our team is a great mix of complementary areas of expertise, focus areas and experience levels
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KeyPoints

PITFALS OPPORTUNITIES

• Missing Wind-Eccentric Loads

 Sag-rods for Purlins
• IS 801 : Using An Outdated Code
• Material : Choose Wisely
 Database-based BLWT
• Highly Optimistic Wind-Sheltering
Assumptions!
• Bad Foundation Designs based on
vague Geotechnial Studies  Smart Geotechnical Studies for
Larger Plants
 INCORRECT
DESIGN

Eccentric wind loads

PRACTICE 01

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WHAT IS ACTUALLY DONE

Net Force Net Force
Vector biased towards Lies at center
windward side

0.2*pavg

pavg
1.8*pavg Under-estimated
overturning force

IMPLICATION ON TONNAGE:
4-6 tons/MW incorrect reduction
 Photo of a damaged row
at a major Solar Park in
India

Under-estimated
overturning
forces?
IS 801: an outdated design code on which
India’s solar infrastructure stands
LAST REVISION: 1975 | BASED ON AISI - 1968

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE

Project specifications should refer the very

robust AISI NAS 2016 Spec or Euro-specs till IS
801 is revised
Mode of Failure IS AISI-
801(1975) 2016
Global Buckling  
Local Buckling ( usually governs)   IMPLICATION ON TONNAGE:
May result in garbage-in-garbage out results in
Distortional Buckling (usually   some members.
governs)
2 - 8 tons/MW incorrect reduction
Opportunities at Design Improvements
Tip 1: Use high- Tip 2: Use of Sag-rods for
strength steels – but purlin economization
with caution!
3D Connection
Designs + Salt-Spray
Tests

Tip 3: Database-based BL Wind Tip 4: Save your foundation Costs

Tunnel Study – an economic by Smart Geotech Studies for larger
alternative to getting accurate Projects.
wind loads. Foundation Depth Zones
The end