Covered Seating Area - Open Structure 1

[dhoward26]

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this question, but want to hear other opinions.

I got called by a contractor I work with a fair amount and he is doing a "pro-bono" project. This was apparently engineered back in 2011 and the EOR will not respond to phone calls or e-mails so I have been asked to verify the structure. I have been asked because a new building inspector has come in and wants to see load calcs and verification of the structure...and no one has them.

The posts are not embedded in the concrete. They are supported by Simpson post bases. The long direction has knee braces on 2 of the braced lines, however, the short direction does not have knee braces. Everything is connected via knife plates. It appears in the short direction, the only way to transfer load per the way it is drawn is through an attempt at a moment connection...but I can't see it working.

Any thoughts? Drawings attached.

 

[frv]

Not ideal, but you could look at it as a cantilevered column. You'll just have to be creative evaluating the capacity of the post embedded in concrete (reasonable assumptions about concrete restraint on the post).

 

[dhoward26]

I would analyze it as a cantilevered column, however, the pads are already poured, and the simpson post bases are installed....so that isn't an option. I recommended embedding the columns until he said the pads were already poured.

 

[Ron]

Agree that you need to develop fixed base or add knee braces in other direction.

One way to develop the base is to create a bracket about 1 foot up the post, through bolt it and extend anchors into the concrete from the bracket...assuming you can get enough capacity in the anchors, that will do it.

 

[Splitrings]

I have done something very similar but I have a diagonal brace just under the rafters.

 

[dhoward26]

Great, thank you for the idea/info!

 

[a2mfk]

Don't you love it when they put knee braces on these covered park structures in the wrong direction? I was at a park with my wife and I pointed this out on a structure much like this, where it was braced in the direction that had practically no lateral exposure. She understood and she is a retail manager....

 

[dhengr]

Ya... but you forgot to mention that your wife manages the retail knee brace dept. and isn’t an Architect or CAD’er/drafter. I like the fact that it drains/drips over the open side, and is called a covered seating structure, but has only one bench.

 

[dhoward26]

Yeah, the things that some people do. I don't get it either. It's always a little aggravating having to try and correct outstanding issues from someone else.

The open side on this structure to me is about as silly as sloping the roof to the entrance of a garage in 140psf+ snow country. The things that make you go...hmmmmm.