SAVERACK — Sustainable, Advanced and Economical Retrofitting Strategies for Reducing the Seismic Vulnerability and Risk of Steel Storage Pallet Racks — is a research project funded by the European Commission under the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS), Grant Agreement RFCS-2024.
The project addresses one of the most overlooked challenges in seismic engineering: the vulnerability of steel storage pallet racks. These structures are ubiquitous in European logistics and warehousing — yet, unlike buildings or bridges, they have received comparatively little attention from a seismic risk mitigation perspective.
Project at a Glance
| Full title | Sustainable, Advanced and Economical Retrofitting Strategies for Reducing the Seismic Vulnerability and Risk of Steel Storage Pallet Racks |
| Acronym | SAVERACK |
| Funding programme | Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) — European Commission |
| Grant Agreement | RFCS-2024 |
| Duration | 42 months |
| Total budget | approx. €2.5 million |
| Number of partners | 11 (+ 1 associated partner) |
| Countries involved | Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Romania |
| Coordinator | Università degli Studi di Pavia (UNIPV), Italy |
The Challenge
Millions of square metres of rack systems are in operation across Europe, many of which predate current seismic design guidance or were installed without adequate consideration of seismic hazard. The consequences of rack failure during an earthquake can be severe: worker injuries, inventory loss, prolonged business interruption, and costly repairs or replacement.
The SAVERACK Approach
Rather than advocating for wholesale demolition and replacement — which is neither economically viable nor environmentally responsible — SAVERACK focuses on retrofitting: developing targeted devices and procedures that can be applied to existing racks to significantly improve their seismic performance. The project combines conceptual design, experimental testing, advanced numerical modelling, and shake table validation, culminating in practical guidelines for industry use.
Work Packages
SAVERACK is organised into eight Work Packages (WPs), covering the full research cycle from experimental characterisation and device development to numerical modelling, full-scale validation, and practical guidelines for industry.
WP1 – Project and Consortium Management
Lead partner: UNIPV (University of Pavia) | Duration: M1–M42
Responsible for overall project coordination, management of the consortium agreement, communication with the European Commission, and timely delivery of all project outputs.
WP2 – Rack Selection and Experimental Sub-Components Characterisation
Lead partner: UPC BarcelonaTech | Duration: M1–M14
Selection of benchmark racks and experimental characterisation of base-plate connections and beam-to-upright connections under monotonic and cyclic loading, providing the data needed for numerical calibration and device development.
WP3 – Development of Strategies for Characterising and Improving Existing Racks
Lead partner: RWTH Aachen University | Duration: M2–M9
Development of non-destructive test procedures for assessing the structural properties of existing racks, and design and testing of innovative friction devices for beam-to-upright connections and upright frames.
WP4 – Refined Numerical Modelling and Calibration of Racks
Lead partner: POLIMI (Politecnico di Milano) | Duration: M7–M19
Development of refined 3D numerical models of rack components and global frames, calibrated against experimental results, and extensive parametric analyses to optimise device placement for seismic performance.
WP5 – Approaches for Seismic Design, Risk and Loss Assessment
Lead partner: UPORTO (University of Porto / FEUP) | Duration: M16–M28
Revision of the seismic design standard for storage racks, development of fragility curves and vulnerability models, and seismic risk and loss assessment for both standard and retrofitted racks.
WP6 – Experimental Test on Full-Scale Racks and Devices Validation
Lead partner: Eucentre | Duration: M10–M18
Full-scale cyclic pushover and shake table tests on standard and enhanced racks equipped with the seismic devices developed in WP3, validating their performance under realistic earthquake scenarios.
WP7 – Development of Guidelines
Lead partner: SCL Ingegneria Strutturale | Duration: M25–M36
Development of practical guidelines for the seismic assessment of existing racks, installation and design of anti-seismic devices, and preparation of a Technical Annex to the European rack standard EN16681.
WP8 – Dissemination
Lead partner: UNIPV (University of Pavia) | Duration: M1–M42
Dissemination of project knowledge and results to academic, professional and industrial communities through publications, conferences, social media, the project website, and targeted marketing materials.