Structural and Vibration Guidelines for Datacom Equipment Centers (ASHRAE Datacom Series Book 5)

Overview

The book is the fifth volume of the Datacom Series prepared by ASHRAE TC 9.9, product code 90429, and is listed in ASHRAE handbooks as Book 5 (2008a). The catalogue record gives 173 pages.

Its content is described in four parts: best practices for new or renovated structures and infrastructure; design of new and existing structures; raised-floor systems and vibration sources; and shock and vibration testing, seismic anchorage and analysis of datacom equipment. The sequence moves from building scale toward equipment scale.

The most often quoted element for design is the lifetime comparison: IT equipment typically lasts 3-5 years, mechanical and electrical (MEP) infrastructure 15-20 years, and the building structure 20-50 years. The gap implies that structural decisions and floor-loading margin must stay valid even after IT technology has been refreshed several times.

As a limit, only catalogue and handbook summaries were used, so numerical load values, test methods and anchorage details are absent from this record. The book itself should be consulted for detail.

Key points

1. ASHRAE Datacom Series Book 5, product code 90429.
2. Four parts: structures and infrastructure best practices; structural design; raised floors and vibration sources; shock/vibration testing, seismic anchorage and analysis.
3. 173 pages, fifth in the series (IIR record dated 2007).
4. IT life typically 3-5 years vs MEP 15-20 years vs building structure 20-50 years.
5. Listed in ASHRAE handbooks as Book 5 (2008a).

Using it in design

• Add floor-loading and seismic anchorage checks for racks to the design checklist, especially for AI racks of 1 t or more.
• Add a raised-floor rating field to the catalog.
• In structural decisions, treat the gap between building life (20-50 years) and IT life (3-5 years) as a margin for future load growth.
• Make vibration sources and the floor system a separate check in equipment layout.

Who should read it

Architects and structural and mechanical engineers designing data center buildings and floors.

Publication details

Authors

ASHRAE TC 9.9

Publisher

ASHRAE

Year

2008

Document number

Datacom Series Book 5 (product 90429)

Document language

English

Source type

Standard

Access

Citation only

Licence

Copyright retained; citation only — the publisher’s terms apply to the original document

Citation