Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Oct 02, 2017 5:05 pm Hi there, this is my first post I'm close to start building my first home as an owner builder. I've done all the design and finally got my structural plans. I find it hard though to get answers from the engineer and often enough "dimensions" are not mentioned on the plans, even some paper work was missing at first and sometimes everything seems a bit chaotic etc. So I thought I might put up some questions into this forum in the hope to find some answers and maybe it might help others later on as well? My design is a steel frame house on poles (on a steep slope) 1. The design asked to put some of the RHS bearers on 12mm angles. I still haven't fully understood why the angles are not facing 180degrees (basically upside down) so the bearer sits on the "meaty part of the angle". I was told this configuration would weaken the angle and I would have to weld the whole bearer to the column then: (the explanation in red is from the engineer) Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The whole question came up when I couldn't find a technical drawing of those steel angles to see how "thick" that meaty-corner part is so I can exactly determine the length of the bearers! I suppose they can't just sit on that round corner. (bottom pic) And again there was no info in the plans about the angle size, besides that they are 12mm thick. So I thought why not putting them the other way around and make the bearers touching the column...or at least so they are almost touching them, not sure if an expansion gap is advisable? (like the bottom picture on top) Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ 2. Does anyone know why there is usually a gap to the bearer when installing C-channels (purlins)? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I do understand the gap is there to keep the gap the same as the thickness of the bottom plate of a column. (so the floor is even) But is there another reason? When I look at other houses, they don't even seem to use cleats welded onto the bearers, instead they just use angles bolted into the bearers and into the joists which are then sitting directly on the bearers? *no gap* ? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Would appreciate any input *thanks Bearer sitting on steel angles & Cleats/Joist gap? 2Oct 02, 2017 6:14 pm Really surprised that your engineer is not open to a discussion. If I have questions like yours, I just ring the engineer and we have a chat about it - and I'm not even the builder. Re: Bearer sitting on steel angles & Cleats/Joist gap? 3Oct 02, 2017 8:18 pm Your engineer has specified the correct 2D details BTW, your 3D model is incorrect if you were to run Stress simulation on that model it will fail and considering what's involved explaining why bother. Stick to the Codes & Standards Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Seconded; we just used these last weekend to build a small deck. They worked perfectly as we have bluestone in the area where we wanted to build so digging down was not… 8 7728 Hi Mrboh Just wondering if you have any BAL or flame zone issues on your block, as getting compliance with BAL requirements whilst doing bearers and joists is tough. Not… 1 6773 yes building is covering the external wall with warping before bricks 2 2180 |