Steel Frame Building with Masonry Exterior 2

Steel frames with masonry infills are an uncommon combination, because they do not work with each other's strengths.

Steel frames are lightweight, flexible and ductile.

Masonry walls are heavy, stiff, and brittle.

Additionally, masonry is difficult to connect to a steel frame, at least relative to connecting to a concrete frame.

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just call me Lo.

OP said:

May I know why I couldn't find pictures of any steel frame building with masonry exterior wall anywhere in the internet?

Click to expand...

You shall google the phrase such as "steel framing with masonry infill wall".




The foreword of the AISC publication "Steel Supported Masonry Walls" (Free for members, $10 for non-members) says:

"Structural steel beams and columns are often used to support masonry walls subjected to transverse and axial loads. Warehouse and gymnasium type buildings often have large floor-to-ceiling heights, such that allowable masonry wall heights are exceeded. Steel framing, tied to the masonry wall by shear connections, tie bars or other devices, works compositely with the wall to resist flexural and compressive loads. Standard design practice considers the steel framing as a plane grid or as simply supported framing providing lateral support to the wall. The lateral load on the contributory wall area is assumed to be transmitted directly to the steel framing. Composite action is often neglected. This study considers the steel framing stiffness requirements for composite action to stiffen non-bearing masonry walls subjected to transverse loading."

I think it's also quite common to run out the floor slabs to the outer wall line, past the steel columns and beam centerlines, and then build masonry walls directy onto the floor slab itself. I have used that strategy many times and still see it as a common practice today.

A black swan to a turkey is a white swan to the butcher ... and to Boeing.

Note that the first two photos in le99's post are steel frames with masonry cladding, a somewhat different (typically better, although more complicated) system than a steel frame with masonry infill (as ahown by the OP).

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just call me Lo.

In my country. 99% of steel frame building used masonry exterior wall. This is because aluminum cladding is 5 times more expensive. And hardiflex (or cement board) are not weatherproof. What do you guys use then as exterior cover for the steel frame? The more expensive aluminum cladding?

This was from another street I took before with all masonry infilled exterior walls.



This is the finished building now. Notice the exposed I-shaped steel beam flanges.



Do you imagine all the 6" hollow blocked all filled up grout with at least 0.5 meter (1.65 feet) vertical bars o.c. acting like shear walls? Or you don't use it because it is hard to waterproof the joint between masonry and steel?

We follow USA ACI and steel codes, or copied from any country our code people see convenient. In your country. Is it not allowed by city hall to build steel structure with masonry infilled exterior walls?

Most contractors paid city hall about $200 to get any plans approved.