Light gauge self storage building shearwalls

[mrbearx1]

Hello there,

Hopefully, I am in the correct forum for this topic. I'm curious if any of you have experience in designing light gauge self storage buildings. More specifically, I'm curious how the tall RV buildings are being designed to resolve the lateral shear forces along the front walls that have 14ft OH doors, with 2ft shear piers between them. The eave heights are 16ft, so the shear piers have an 8:1 aspect ratio, which is not good. It appears they are utilizing 29ga wall panels for shear, and I cannot find any design resources to justify that approach. Can anyone recommend the design resources that are used for designing this type of construction?

Thanks a lot for any help you can provide.

 

[DaveAtkins]

Are you asking about pre-engineered metal buildings? If so, there should be a portal frame along the elevation with the overhead door openings.

Or are you asking about cold formed steel framing ("steel studs")? If so, you are correct, and you won't be able to use the 2 foot portions of wall as shear walls. You will probably need a portal frame.

DaveAtkins

 

[KootK]

I suspect that you're often seeing permutations of the three sided building concept. In your case, one long shear wall and a bunch of shorter transverse walls. Engineers don't love the system, particularly in seismic regions, but it's pretty common.

I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.

 

[mrbearx1]

Thanks for the responses. They are indeed light gauge steel structures, not pre-engineered metal buildings. I did consider the 3-walled lateral system, however, it appears they are using the 29ga roofing/wall panels for the shear resisting elements at the 3 walls. I haven't found any resources that justifies that design. Logic would say to at least use metal straping as X-bracing, but I'm not seeing that done. I was hoping if any of you have been around that industry, you could recommend those design resources for review.

Thanks again for your advice on this.

 

[DaveAtkins]

I don't know of any design values for 29 ga steel wall panels attached to steel studs. There are values for 29 ga steel wall panels attached to wood studs--perhaps you can use those values, but you would need to justify what you are doing.

DaveAtkins