Big Box Retail Vestibules

[Galambos]

We have a vestibule for a big box retail that stops short of going up to the roof deck by 15 ft or so.

We have 4 1/2" pockets in the corners to make this work, so we had provided hss posts in the corners to brace the interior side of the vestibule, but our architect was pretty unhappy about it.

The front of the vestibule is headed off with an HSS header spanning the front opening. There are no corner columns at the exterior side of the vestibule, only storefront.

Does anyone know how these are typically braced? I could design cold formed jambs for gravity, but not convinced the 5psf lateral is taken care of.

 

[mijowe]

I typically see what you have shown, tubes in the corners. Since these corners will have storefront frames anyhow, The tubes should not be a problem.

The storefront supplier probably will not do this, but If the intent was to keep the corners as open as possible, they could stabilize their structure by themselves. ie use their frames and eliminate you having to add redundant framing. I have not experience anybody manufacturer willing to do this.

If the ceiling is solid (not glass I could also see a scenario where you could use that as a cantilever diaphragm off the front vestibule tube.

I would also point out that when the door opens, that you will experience more than the 5psf internal wind pressure.