The viability of light-gage steel construction. 3

[rlflower]

I am a licensed Civil Engineer who recently obtained accreditation as a LEED Green Associate. I have stong interest in encoraging expansion of the light-gage steel construction market.

My motive is simply to ecourage what I see as the most viable method of construction in California. Farmed lumber used in wood construction I believe is not capable of keeping up with the demand, and produces a product of cheap quality not becoming of a construction industry. Farmed lumber is not environmentally sound.

Do you have comments on this line of thought?

 

[theonlynamenottaken]

Along with light-weight structures comes heavy-duty connections, holddowns and a heavy weight foundation. The client on the last design I did that changed from all timber to all light gage was shocked by the cost difference in uplift connections and foundation.

 

[rlflower]

theonlynamenottaken, can you elaborate on what caused the significant difference in uplift? When comparing wood framing to light-gage steel, it seems to me there would not be much difference in the weight of the wall, roof or floor framing that can be considered resisting the overturning moment of the wall. Perhaps the redesign caused the walls to become shorter in width?

Richard L. Flower, P. E., LEED Green Associate
Senior Structural Engineer
Complere Engineering Group, Inc.

 

[vmirat]

I've gone round and round on specifying light gage steel. Architects that I've dealt with still like to spec studs by inches and gauge instead of using SSMA designations. The tables in the AISI manual are non-standardized. AISI came up with their own designation system and there are a lot of sections in the AISI manual which don't correspond with manufacturer's products (i.e. Z-purlins). In the end, I tend to go with a manufacturer's catalog.