pyramid beam loading
pyramid beam loading
(OP)
I am trying to calculate beam loading for a pyramid structure.
It consists of 4 main beams from each corner and a beams on center of each side.
A total of 8 beams coming together at the apex to an octagon ring.
Do I solve as if the spans are horizontal or on a slope with actual length of member.
Is there a factor that can be used for the angle of slope.
Thanks for the input.
It consists of 4 main beams from each corner and a beams on center of each side.
A total of 8 beams coming together at the apex to an octagon ring.
Do I solve as if the spans are horizontal or on a slope with actual length of member.
Is there a factor that can be used for the angle of slope.
Thanks for the input.






RE: pyramid beam loading
"Never send a boy to do a man's job"
If you are an undergraduate I expect you will be taught structural analysis and on how to use a computer program to solve your three dimensional structure.
If you are not in a degree course then then show my message to your teacher.
It may be just a simple problem of statics but they are a lot of missing and confusing information. If I understand your problem correctly you are asking what is the axial forces in the 8 line members (they are not beams!) on the 4 sloping sides of the pyramid possibly truncated. It should be a high school example in statics of summing the vertical components of each member.
RE: pyramid beam loading
The previous answerer left out wind as a load not in the vertical direction.
To the person 'calculate':
First apply the external loads at the panel points. Make the whole thing a 3D truss with bolted connections for a simple rigid structure.
Load the member as a freebody diagram and resolve the components into axial and perpendicular loads due to the angle. You will have your lesser loads on the full length which should be conservative since length is to the second power.
RE: pyramid beam loading
I must apologize for not making the application more clear.
This pyramid structure will actually be a building using glu-lam as the main supporting beams.
Some tables tell you to base the sq. ft. load along the actual length of beam on the slope other tables are based along horizontal distance of beam. Thats where the confusion is coming in. Would the dead and live loads be based perdicular on the horizontal distance or along the actual length of beam on the slope.
Thanks again.
www.geocities.com/brybolt/calculate.html
RE: pyramid beam loading