Bracing in a Freezer Building
Bracing in a Freezer Building
(OP)
I’m working on a freezer facility. The primary framing is steel. It is approximately 275’ x 325’. I’m looking at ‘X’ bracing for wind loads. Seismic is small in comparison. It is being built in Texas. The operating temperature is zero F to minus 15 F. The steel has a potential swing of 75-100 degrees. Right now I’m looking at 3-4 bays of ‘X’ bracing. The ‘X’ bracing would be in consecutive bays. The problem I’m finding is the outer columns have extreme uplift loads from the temperature swing. The steel at the roof level contracts horizontally and doesn’t at the foundation. The ‘X’ wants to resist this movement. This in turn causes large uplift forces on the outer columns of the bracing. I’ve looked at several different bracing layouts and still end up with the large uplift forces.
I’m hoping there are others who can give me insight into freezer building bracing systems that can accommodate the large temperature swings. I’m also looking for resource on the design of freezer facilities from a structural standpoint. I did a search of AISC site and didn’t find anything. Are there any good articles or books on freezer building design, particularly the structure?
Thanks for your help.
I’m hoping there are others who can give me insight into freezer building bracing systems that can accommodate the large temperature swings. I’m also looking for resource on the design of freezer facilities from a structural standpoint. I did a search of AISC site and didn’t find anything. Are there any good articles or books on freezer building design, particularly the structure?
Thanks for your help.






RE: Bracing in a Freezer Building
Try to avoid the multiple X braces in a single section of the freezer.
RE: Bracing in a Freezer Building
RE: Bracing in a Freezer Building
The steel is inside the insulated metal wall panels. This is why the steel goes through the temperature range.
Looks like a single 'X' brace with piers for uplift will be best. Any other sugestions for the wind uplift resistance?
Thanks.
RE: Bracing in a Freezer Building
l/l\l
RE: Bracing in a Freezer Building
Dik
RE: Bracing in a Freezer Building
Is this one big box? Or are you breaking it up into multiple freezers? If it's broken up then you can engineer single boxes with windward wind only since the leeward wind would apply only on the "other" box downwind.
RE: Bracing in a Freezer Building
I ran the compression strut model over the weekend too. It came out with slightly less uplift forces. I've never used one before. Any cautions as to why I shouldn't?
Thanks for your help.
RE: Bracing in a Freezer Building
If you do the two compression struts starting at the top of the same column and then sloping away in opposite directions, then you get only one point of thermal restraint, but 2 bracing bays!
The reason why this type of bracing is not as common is because it is more expensive.
RE: Bracing in a Freezer Building
RE: Bracing in a Freezer Building