In practical applications, steel storage racks include a wide range of beam-to-column connections (BCCs), which have a significant impact on their structural stability, particularly under various loading conditions. This systematic review focuses on the application of the finite element method (FEM) as a complementary tool to evaluate the mechanical behavior of these connections. Key parameters that influence connection performance include the connector’s class and hook configuration, column thickness, beam height and weld position on the connector. Although the Eurocode 3 standard provides design guidelines for connections, experimental testing remains the most reliable method due to the complexity of semi-rigid connections, particularly in the context of pallet racks. Validated FEM analysis emerges as a dependable and cost-effective alternative to experiments, enabling more detailed parametric studies and improving the prediction of structural response. This review focuses on the advantages of FEM integration into design workflows via quantitative synthesis, while also emphasizing the role of contact formulations in modeling accuracy. To establish FEM as an independent predictive tool for the design and optimization of steel storage racks, future research should focus on cohesive zone modeling, ductile damage criteria, advanced contact strategies and additional machine learning (ML) techniques.

The paper presents a comparative analysis of two selective pallet rack configurations based on the storage unit placement method, using the same rack orientation within the warehouse space. Selective pallet racks are simple, efficient, and widely used systems for storing palletized goods. They provide direct and unobstructed access to every individual pallet at any time. The storage unit was defined, and the sizing of the beams and upright frames was performed. Appropriate storage and retrieval equipment was selected. The rack layout in the warehouse was determined in accordance with warehouse system design principles. Adequate structural components were chosen, and the total capacity of the rack warehouse was calculated. Within the comparative analysis of selective racking solutions in the planned warehouse space, designs with both transverse and longitudinal storage unit placement were considered. The design focus was on increasing warehouse capacity and reducing rack construction costs.

Reliable prediction of carrying capacity is essential for efficient design of all carrying structures, including pallet racks. Precise or simplified analytical models are surely indispensable in engineering practice, but when considering racking structures, they still remain limited primarily by specific beam-to-column connections. This study proposes a semi-empirical, machine learning-driven approach for predicting the behavior of rack elements, i.e., upright frames, as a function of three structurally distinct connection types and appropriate racking element properties. Random Forest was selected for feature screening based on comparative analysis of six ML algorithms, and the retained parameters were used to develop interpretable power-law models. Within this research, upright cross-section area and beam-level height were retained as main influential parameters for the first two considered connection types, whereas upright cross-section moment of inertia, beam-level height and beam cross-section height governed the third type. These differences indicate that the contribution of each input parameter to capacity prediction varied among connection types. Grouped correction factors were introduced to account for deviations associated with upright profile and beam-level height, with additional differences specifically for the third connection type. The adopted models achieved near-exact agreement with the upright frame carrying capacities within the calibration domain. Although the resulting coefficients are specific to the analyzed rack structures, the proposed sequence provides a transferable framework for converting large structural datasets into simplified and interpretable engineering models.

Selective pallet racks represent a key factor of modern warehouses. The geometry of the structure and the way of load distribution significantly influence the system’s mechanical stability. Choosing the right racking structure and its mode of utilization is one of the first things to do in order to properly design the warehouse, making it functional and well organized. Storage systems are a major capital investment whose value depends on the design and how they fit into warehouses and processes, which can also affect the business. Given the characteristics of pallet racks, typically built from cold-formed thin-walled steel sections, traditional welded or bolted joints are frequently replaced with semi-rigid, boltless connections that enhance assembly efficiency and save costs while keeping structural performance. Accordingly, adjustable storage systems are defined by European standards, such as Eurocode 3. As the moment-rotation characteristic is essential in describing connection behavior, research on beamto- column connections has expanded significantly over recent decades, especially in the area of pallet racks. To better understand the strength and behavior under variable loading, various studies, such as, have conducted experimental testing of boltless beam-to-column connections to better understand the limit states. In racking structures, placement of unit loads, whether it’s transversal or longitudinal against racks, could have a direct influence on structural performance. This paper aims to analyze the effect of beam behavior for various placement methods, relying on the finite element method. Numerical analysis of beam-to-column connections is used as a reliable tool and as an alternative to experiments in the design of rack structures. In [4] a detailed finite element model was developed for beam-to-column connection, validated through experiment, which simulates moment-rotation behavior without the need for expensive experiments. The stability of semi-rigid connections in racking systems was analyzed in [5], to demonstrate advantages of direct analysis method compared to traditional calculation methods. Building upon prior research and integrating techno-economic analysis, this paper investigates how the placement method affects beam behavior in pallet rack structures through Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis in Autodesk Inventor software [6]. Future research should extend contact modeling and boundary conditions to enable a more robust validation and strengthen the reliability of the proposed design recommendations.

Drive-in and/or drive-through racking systems with adequate principle of functioning, as the most common high density storage solution, usually find applications in pharmaceutical, chemistry and food industry. Since the goods are stored into the deep tunnels, traditional aisles are eliminated for manipulation purposes like in the adjustable pallet racking configurations. The main prerequisite for the usage of this type of storage is that the goods must be palletized on the standard and quality pallets. Materials used for the rack structures are light cold-formed profiles. In this paper solutions in terms of the application of different pallet dimensions and its weight were discussed. On the basis of techno-economical analysis of several options, the best solution in term of relation price for the total number of pallets or mass of stored goods will be suggested to the user.