Smith College Burton Hall Room 206 Cooler Installation Project 7-9-20 (1)Vreeland Design Associates
An integrative approach to design engineering and site planning
116 River Road, Leyden, MA 01337 Phone: (413) 624-0126
Email: dvreeland@verizon.net Fax: (413) 624-3282
Date: July 9, 2020
To: Jeff Bean, Project Development Manager Keiter Builders 35 Main Street
Florence, MA 01062
From: David Vreeland, P.E. Vreeland Design Associates
Re: Smith College Burton Hall: Structural assessment for the installation of a cooler in Room 206.
Dear Jeff, I have conducted a structural assessment of Room 206 in Burton Hall on the Smith College Campus
for the proposed installation of a 7’-5”x 7’-10” cooler for the storage of geological core samples. My
assessment is based on the following information provided by you: 1. Total weight of cooler and controls: 1605 lbs. 2. Shelving units: 300 lbs. 3. Core samples to be stored: 2000 lbs.
Total weight: 3905 lbs. with 58ft2 of floor area = 68 psf
I reviewed the floor framing plans prepared by Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson & Abbott, Architects and Engineers, Boston, MA, dated 6/15/64 for a renovation project of the original building that appears to have been constructed around 1914. The floor system is a composite concrete slab and
steel wide-flange beam construction. The proposed location of the cooler is along the east exterior
wall and based on the floor framing plans will be over a W12x31 beam on the north entry side of the cooler, a W12x40 beam 4’ south of the W12x31 and another W12x40, 5’-9” south of the middle w12x40. The beams run east-west and span approximately 20’-6”. On 6/26/20, I conducted a site visit to investigate what was visible of the floor framing. The beams are encased in concrete, but
based on my measurements on site the beam locations and size reflect what is shown in the framing
plans. My calculations are based on an assumed 80 psf dead load for the existing 4”-5” slab, room furnishings, and the ceiling finishes below with a 50 psf live load for an office/lab area and 68 psf for the proposed cooler. Based on these loads and limiting the deflection to 600/480, the middle beam which will be supporting the largest load, exceeds the required load capacity by 28 percent.
Based on the above, I certify that the existing floor framing is adequate to support the proposed cooler and the weight of the shelving and core samples. Please contact me if you have any questions or need additional information.
Sincerely, David Vreeland, PE
Vreeland Design Associates