×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

How Many Stories Have You Seen Lightgage Go?

How Many Stories Have You Seen Lightgage Go?

How Many Stories Have You Seen Lightgage Go?

(OP)
I'm in a mid to high seismic zone and I'm doing research for the preliminary design of an 8 story office structure.  The developer's contractor is claiming they've used lightgage that tall on past projects, but I'm not convinced the lateral system will work in any seismic area.  Strap bracing just wont cut it.  

Am I off the mark, or is there some sort of special strapping system that can be used?  The building is about 250' long with a stairwell on each end.

RE: How Many Stories Have You Seen Lightgage Go?

A guy in our office did a 6 story light gage building in California.  The LLRS was sheathed shear walls.  Sure Board is the name of the proprietary product... it's basically gyp board with sheet metal screwed to it.  There's an ICBO report for the product.  

My Steel Network catalog says they can go 10 stories using Sigma Studs and strapped walls.  Never seen it done though, nor do I believe it can work in a high seismic area.  I could be wrong.  

RE: How Many Stories Have You Seen Lightgage Go?

I think I have heard 7 stories and have seen 6 before. It may be possible for 8 stories depending on the spans of the floors.

RE: How Many Stories Have You Seen Lightgage Go?

If I am not mistaken you are limted to 65 feet in building height if you are using a sheating or straps for a LFRS as defined in ASCE7-05. I assume you could go to concrete shearwalls, but seems like a mismatch of systems, beside, what size studs do you end up with on the lower floors, 14 gauge.

RE: How Many Stories Have You Seen Lightgage Go?

That 65 ft limit might be for some seismic categories but I don't think that is a general limit.

RE: How Many Stories Have You Seen Lightgage Go?

The 65 ft limit is for SDC D and E, I think B and C are no limit.

bests

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources