Hide & seek: Fid-Bau Portal

Hide & seek

Austin, Brandon K.

The utilisation of aluminium internal floating roofs (AlFRs) appears to have reached an all time high within the industry, as they are now considered for service conditions where they would have previously been overlooked. They are being utilised for applications that continue to innovate and test the boundaries, as specified design and operational conditions become increasingly more demanding. Although industry standards have evolved to provide more detailed, prescriptive methods for the design of AlFRs, there remain several hidden factors that should be considered in addition to the minimum requirements. Recognition of these factors and properly designing to account for them should be the industry standard and represent an important component of the process that occurs when a purchaser is evaluating the various AlFR models on the market. Just as design expectations and operational demands continue to heighten, the capabilities of an AlFR must be elevated to meet these demands. This responsibility will fall directly onto the design, manufacturing and construction capabilities of the respective AlFR supplier. Designing an AlFR in the most efficient and cost effective manner to meet current and future operational demands requires more than simply following the basic 'cook book' methods prescribed by applicable industry standards. Proper consideration of the hidden factors discussed should be part of the minimum design requirements in order to increase the probability of a long, trouble free service life.