Tall narrow frame building

[rittz]

The client wants to build a frame building for a car wash. Length 60,’ width 16, height 15’. Needs a door in each end 12’ wide and 14’ high, that leaves 2‘ on each side available for shear wall!! Wind load 15 psf. Pretty large shear. This appears to be a challenge. Any comments?

 

[JLNJ]

Moment frames? Pre-engineered building?

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

I assume you mean a wood frame building? Sell them on Simpson portal frame or metal shear wall panel before they have a chance to even think about anything else. 2 ft isn't going to be enough unless you do a wood portal frame, much easier and possibly cheaper to use a Simpson product. Also, your diaphragm aspect ratio is too large unless you have a fully blocked diaphragm, if possible get the building to a 3:1 length to width ratio. Moisture protection is going to be fun.

Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.

 

[msquared48]

You are exceeding your 3.5:1 max wood diaphragm h/d ratio. You will need at least one interior steel moment frame in the short direction to control the diaphragm shear stresses. Simpson strong walls on the ends.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[rittz]

The proposed car was is actually an addition to a large pr-eng building. Which extends beyond the proposed building at both ends and is higher The frames in the steel building are 12’ oc .Would a brace of some sort from the existing frames be doable? Or sensible? The ceiling of the addition will be sheeted and constructed as a diaphragm.

The Simpson frames certainly are a possibility

 

[msquared48]

That might work in that wind usually controls those structures and there would be no additional wind exposure to the existing PEMB.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[SAIL3]

I would not normally use a wood-framed bldg for a car wash.....looks like pre-engineered moment frame may be the best bet and galvanized.

 

[XR250]

I have priced out the Simpson frames and it was much cheaper to just have one fabricated locally. This is in NC where they are rarely used. Maybe a different story in your area. I would not count on a wood portal frame for this scenario.
If you have 2 ft, you could also do a braced frame - might be cheaper than a moment frame.

 

[hokie66]

Wood structures with light gauge steel connectors perform poorly in wet environments like a carwash. I would consider galvanized steel or precast concrete.