Would you brace this thing?
Would you brace this thing?
(OP)
Hi, im wondering would you guys brace a steel canopy that is anchored in a wall?
On a field I have seen both - braced and unbraced structures like this, but the beams (cantilevers) are usually shorter than mine is (1,80 m).
Wind forces (perpendicular to beam axis) are small so im wondering is it really necessary to brace this thing (lets say with diagonals in plane)? Also in a case I design a bracing i also have to connect steel beams at the end (blue lines in image bellow) so the forces can get transfered.
There is gonna be a glass on top of steel beams.

On a field I have seen both - braced and unbraced structures like this, but the beams (cantilevers) are usually shorter than mine is (1,80 m).
Wind forces (perpendicular to beam axis) are small so im wondering is it really necessary to brace this thing (lets say with diagonals in plane)? Also in a case I design a bracing i also have to connect steel beams at the end (blue lines in image bellow) so the forces can get transfered.
There is gonna be a glass on top of steel beams.







RE: Would you brace this thing?
Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries
https://www.facebook.com/AmericanConcrete/
RE: Would you brace this thing?
RE: Would you brace this thing?
BA
RE: Would you brace this thing?
There will be no walking on top.
RE: Would you brace this thing?
Might better attract the right people.
Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries
https://www.facebook.com/AmericanConcrete/
RE: Would you brace this thing?
RE: Would you brace this thing?
It is still not clear how the glass is attached to the beams. On the photo, it seems to be resting on top of some metal pegs. If so, that is not a suitable connection for a roof deck.
BA
RE: Would you brace this thing?
With a wood frame structure, I'd probably also run tension members back to the building to support the front edge of the canopy, because getting the moment connection at the wall would be tricky. You can probably do it without a framing member running along the front edge of you get creative, even though you only have maybe three spots to drop the tension members in. It'd be a lot easier if you put a framing member along the front edge though.
RE: Would you brace this thing?
RE: Would you brace this thing?
RE: Would you brace this thing?
IF the weak axis bending movement of the beams is ok for the glass, no bracing
i agree that specifying some amount of maintenance loading is prudent.
i am in snow country, so i would consider drifted snow, which may exceed any maintenance loading
RE: Would you brace this thing?
RE: Would you brace this thing?
Full length connection along the front edge is common, and sometimes mid-span also.
I have watched a few of these go up in our area recently.
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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube
RE: Would you brace this thing?
RE: Would you brace this thing?
RE: Would you brace this thing?
Also the glass needs to have some sort of slope on it to drain off. A flat plat will leave puddles on top which then discolour or worse, the water tracks over the edge and then drips on people underneath, somewhat spoiling the intent of the thing.
if the beams are relatively well fixed to the wall and / or you add a front beam which has some level of moment capacity, I can't see a reason to brace it, but that is quite long for a glass panel so will need some flexibility in the fixings.
Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.
RE: Would you brace this thing?
For the glass you need to follow certain rules since glass is 'over head'
But I guess you are familiar with glass design.... and glass codes