Structural Behavior
Gravity Load System
Supports Dead, Live, Roof Live, Snow, and other loads that result from gravitational pull. Supports Wind, Seismic, Fluid, Soil loads that push laterally on the structure
Lateral Force System
Both systems must provide a COMPLETE and IDENTIFIABLE load path Principles of Statics and Structural Analysis are used to trace the loads through the structure.
Gravity Loads are generally supported by systems of beams and columns. In Timber systems:
Loads are applied to sheathing which acts as a continuous beam supported by closely spaced beams known as JOISTS or by TRUSSES The JOISTS are generally supported by BEAMS or TRUSSES or WALLS BEAMS are generally supported by other beams or COLUMNS Timber Walls consist of a series of closely spaced columns know as STUDS BEAMS, COLUMNS, and WALLS can be supported by other BEAMS, COLUMNS, WALLS, or FOUNDATIONS
You must always be able to identify the support for each structural element all the way to the ground!
Sheathing supported by joists Joists supported by beam & wall
Beam supported by columns
Wall consists of columns called studs
As in all structures, it is critical that there be identifiable continuous load paths.
Long Span Roof Truss Girders
Mezzanine Area
Awning Roof
Awning Roof with Hip Beam
A large open exhibit building with long span truss girders.
Each joist supports an area equal to its span times half the distance to the joist on either side.
Roof deck transfers load to supporting joists.
Load rests on roof deck
The joists transfer their loads to the supporting truss girders.
The pier supports half the area supported by the truss Each truss girder supports girder plus area from an other area equal to itselements span times structural that it half the distance to the girder supports. The truss girders on either side. transfer their loads to the supporting piers and columns.
The girders are not single span so the tributary area for the columns cannot be graphically determined
The area tributary to a joist equals the length of the joist times the sum of half the distance to each adjacent joist. The area tributary to a girder equals the length of the girder times the sum of half the distance to each adjacent girder.
Columns Support Girders
Girders Support Joists Metal Deck/Slab System Supports Floor Loads Above Joists Support Floor Deck
The point load consists of the reaction from the two supported joists which equals the tributary area (1/2 the cantilever span times the Exterior spacing joist of the carried cantilevers) load to the times supporting the pressure cantilever load on the floor beam plus ends the self weight of the joist. The load diagram for the cantilever (excluding self wt) consists of a single point load at the end of the Deck carries load to edge cantilever. joist and wall.
This beam picks up load from joists of varying lengths. In this case the resulting load distribution would have a linearly varying component. The illustrated area is part of the tributary area at the roof deck level.
The hip beam also picks up a point load reaction from a pair of the roof girders.
Check out the drawings for the House found on the website for the Beginners Guide to Structural Engineering:
[Link]
For each member:
Identify what the member supports
Draw a load diagram for the member
Identify what supports the member
Compute the reactions for the member and identify
where they appear on the supporting member
Lateral forces are applied to wall/roof systems which generally transfer the forces to horizontal diaphragms Horizontal diaphragms are used to transfer forces to the vertical components of the LFRS The three most common types of vertical LFRS components are:
Rigid Frames Vertical Truss Lateral forces are resisted by axial forces in the members Bracing is used to create a truss Connections are generally assumed to be pinned Shear Walls
See Text Page 3.9
The beam-columns do not support anypressures, roof load, they For lateral the are here to resist lateral siding spans between the forces that girts they (yet receive from horizontal another the girts. They an fancy word forsupport a beam!) area that extends from The girts support half the locations half way to siding the to adjacent the adjacent girts. This is the beam-columns on tributary area forfloor one to girt. each side and from roof as shown. The girts transfer their lateral load to the supporting beamThe beam-columnscolumns. transfer their lateral loads equally to the roof and foundation.
Lateral Pressures -Roof = 20 psf -2nd Flr = 15 psf -1st Flr = 10 psf
Roof = 300 sqft 2nd flr = 340 sqft 1st flr = 180 sqft
Roof = 660 sqft 2nd flr = 510 sqft 1st flr = 270 sqft
Direction #1 Roof = 12,000 # = 200 plf 2nd flr = 6,300 # = 105 plf 1st flr = 2,700 # = 45 plf
Direction #2 Roof = 5,200 # = 60 plf to 200 plf 2nd flr = 4,200 # = 105 plf 1st flr = 1,800 # = 45 plf
Wood diaphragms are considered to be flexible Horizontal diaphragms transfer load collected from the walls by beam action to the supporting vertical LFRS components
Direction #1 Reactions Roof = 6,000 lb = 150 plf 2nd flr = 3,150 lb = 78.8 plf
Direction #2 Reactions Roof = 2,600 lb = 43.3 plf 2nd flr = 2,100 lb = 35 plf
Lateral forces are resisted by bending in the members Moment resisting connections are required
Difficult to do in timber Moment connections can be approximated with KNEE BRACING
Lots of indeterminate analysis! Rigid frames are actually very flexible compared to the other systems
Called RIGID because the connections are rigid
Lateral forces are resisted by axial forces in the members Bracing is used to create a truss Connections are generally assumed to be pinned
SHEAR WALLS act as vertical cantilever beams Shear walls carry the forces via shear in the wall and chord forces to handle the moment This is the most common LFRS in timber structures.
Direction #1 Forces Roof = 6,000 # 2nd flr = 3,150 # --------------------------2nd Story Shear = 6,000 lb = 150 plf 1st Story Shear = 9,150 lb = 229 plf
Direction #2 Forces Roof = 2,600 # 2nd flr = 2,100 # --------------------------2nd Story Shear = 2,600 lb = 43.3 plf 1st Story Shear = 4,700 lb = 118 plf