Chapter 2
General System and Facility Guidelines
Environmental Factors
32
NOTE
An appropriate floor system consultant should verify any floor system under consideration for a
HP server installation.
Raised Floor Loading
Raised floor loading is a function of the manufacturer's load specification and the positioning of the
equipment relative to the raised floor grid. While Hewlett-Packard cannot assume responsibility for
determining the suitability of a particular raised floor system, it does provide information and illustrations
for the customer or local agencies to determine installation requirements.
The following guidelines are recommended:
•
Because many raised floor systems do not have grid stringers between floor stands, the lateral support for
the floor stands depends on adjacent panels being in place. To avoid compromising this type of floor
system while gaining under floor access, remove only one floor panel at a time.
•
Larger floor grids (bigger panels) are generally rated for lighter loads.
CAUTION
Do not position or install any equipment cabinets on the raised floor system until you have
carefully examined it to verify that it is adequate to support the appropriate installation.
Floor Loading Terms
The table below defines floor-loading terms:
Cooling Requirements
Air conditioning equipment requirements and recommendations are described in the following sections.
Appendix A, “System Specifications and Requirements,” summarizes air conditioning requirements for this
HP server.
Table 2-1
Floor Loading Term Definitions
Term
Definition
Dead load
The weight of the raised panel floor system, including the understructure.
Expressed in lb/ft
2
(kg/m
2
).
Live load
The load that the floor system can safely support. Expressed in lb/ft
2
(kg/m
2
).
Concentrated load
The load that a floor panel can support on a 1-in
2
(6.45 cm
2
) area at the panel's
weakest point (the center of the panel), without the surface of the panel
deflecting more than a predetermined amount.
Ultimate load
The maximum floor panel load that the floor system can support without floor
panel(s) breaking or bending.Ultimate load is load per floor panel.
Rolling load
The load a floor panel can support when a wheel of specified diameter and width
is rolled across the panel.
Average floor load
Computed by dividing total equipment weight by the area of its footprint. This
value is expressed in lb/ft
2
(kg/m
2
).
