Cold Formed Portal Shed with Tilt Panel Cladding

[Toby43]

Hi all,

A client has proposed to use tilt panel cladding on the boundary (for fire reg's) attached to their typical Cold Formed Portal framed Shed. I personally don't think it is a good idea, I only have experience with using tilt panel cladding on Hot-rolled Steel Portal frame building(s) - or as load-bearing panels. I would think some of the major issues would be
1) failure of thin cold formed members in fire would not provide a reliable "pull" on the panels to satisfy the "collapse inwards" requirement of our building code (in Australia)
2) general out-of-plane anchorage of panels to cold formed sections would instigate "local" failures in cold formed sections.
Anyone have experience with this system? I would appreciate any thoughts.

Regards
Toby

 

[civeng80]

I would agree that using cold formed members for portal frames with panels is not a good idea.
In addition to what you mentioned it would be difficult to clamp the panels to the thin flanges.

 

[StructDave]

I agree. Would they consider upgrading the girts to hot-rolled channels to address the securing of panels, including at least some period of time in a fire, and can you argue that the portal frames would collapse inward? Otherwise, better find another fire-rated assembly.

We have used other wall assemblies to achieve some fire rating. Sprayed fibre in combination with gypsum board layers comes to mind, but what rating vs code requirement would take some research.

 

[Toby43]

Thanks for the input guys, have persuaded to look at alternatives.