Wire Mesh Infill

[SteelPE]

Does anyone have any information on designing wire mesh infill panels for stairs? I need to justify some wire mesh panels and I don't quite know where to begin (that doesn't mean it wont' work just I don't quite know how to justify it).

 

[mijowe]

I would begin by contacting some manufactures who deal in supplying these, either put the design on them as a performance spec, or get loads charts from them. These may be a tested product and proving they work by calculation may be difficult.

If I had to prove they work with calcs, I would start with some type of centenary analysis.

 

[zcp]

See how many single wires you would need to hold the load. You will have a lot more.

ZCP

http://www.phoenix-engineer.com

 

[SteelPE]

zcp,

The code required load is 50# over an 1 square foot area for infill panels.... Pretty small and I'm sure almost anything can carry the load however, to prove that is another story. I was thinking some sore of catinary analysis would be required. As of right now, I left that section blank on the calculations I sent into the EOR.

 

[CANPRO]

After doing some searching on the internet it seems that wire mesh infill panels are more commonly used for the railings. They're still required to meet certain loadings, significantly less, but if you may be able to get an idea from what they did.

I would imagine that the published values for expanded mesh, checker plate etc...are based on testing to get the full value of the product. If the mesh infill panels are capable of supporting 50psf that would be something that I would advertise. Are they pre-fab panels meant for treads?

I think the connections of the mesh would be harder to justify on paper than the mesh its self.

 

[CELinOttawa]

Two layers of welded wire mesh was the content of nearly all 120mm thick panels in NZ until the NZS3101:2006 code. Since that time it is nearly impossible to make WWM alone work, BUT, if they were safely building 2 and 3 storey structures with 120mm thick WWM reinforced panels, I assure you your task is possible.

The method of design applied: Beam theory. The WWM is used as the Tension steel, and the whitney stress block is calculated. Simple and easy. Shear is only a problem if you are using a low strength concrete.

What are the sizes (panel height, width; Mesh spacing and gauge)? IIRC the Metric equivalent of 6x6-6/6 was frequently used in large panels.

 

[zcp]

SteelPE,

In your 1 sq ft, how many wires are covered in one direction. Check them as a simply supported beam with a distributed load at the center. If you need 4 strands to hold the 50 psf and you have 8, case closed. Not the perfect analysis, but hard to argue against assuming the end connection of the wires is solid.

As an engineer, if it is good for 1 million pounds, it should be good for 1 pound.....

Hope that helps.

ZCP

http://www.phoenix-engineer.com

 

[Bagman2524]

50 lbs. over 1 sq ft comes from IBC-2012 section 1607.8.1.2 and ASCE-7 section 4.5.1.

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” MLK