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FrameConstructionSteelFrames Bracing TimberFrames
ComparrisonofPortalFramingSystems FlyBracing
TheAdvantagesandDisadvantagesofaTimberFrame
ComparisonofTrussvs.PortalFrames RoofBracing
PortalframesAdvantagesDisadvantages Haunching
Roofpitch StiffeningPlates
PurlinsandGirts
Entrances
Considerationforstructuresduringconstruction
Connections Conclusion References
INTRODUCTIONTOFRAMESWhendesigningtheframeforboththewarehouseandshowroomitisimportanttoconsiderthestrengthoftheframeagainstDeadLoads(theloadofthestructure)andLiveLoads(loadsimposedonthebuildingsuchaswind).Theseconsiderationsmusttakeintoaccountthefundamentalsofcostandaesthetics(moresointheshowroom).
STEELFRAMES Top
Theuseofsteelinaframehassomeclearadvantagesanddisadvantagesasamaterialtoworkwith.Oneofsteelsgreatestadvantagesisthatsteelhasa'qualitycontrol',meaningthesteelyoureceiveisofacertainstandardthathaslittlevariables,unlikeapeaceofwoodwhichhasimpuritiessuchasknotsandcracksinitwhichwillweakenit.Andunlikewoodsteelhasalowcreeplevel.Steelsspanningcapacityisalsoimpressive,asisthespeedthatasteelconstructioncanbeerected(accordingtoBHP,about20%fasterthanmostotherconstructions),asmemberscanbeprefabricatedoffsiteandthenconnectedquicklyonsite,allowingconstructiontobelargelyunhinderedbyweather.Steelalsohassomedisadvantages.Structurally,steelwillfailwhenengulfedinafiremuchfasterthanifitwasasolidwoodenframe.Thecostofasteelframeisalsoincreasedduetofactorssuchasthenecessityofskilledlabortoerectthestructure,corrosiontreatmentofmetalandahighdegreeofeffortneededtochangeerrors.Environmentallysteelhasahighembodiedenergyandisminedandprocessedwithadetrimentaleffecttotheenvironment,howeversteelisrecyclableasstructuresarelargelyboltedtogetherenablingthemtobesimplyunboltedandputbacktogetherinanother
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location.
ComparrisonofPortalFramingSystems Top
ComparisonofTrussvs.PortalFrames Top
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PortalframesAdvantagesDisadvantages Top
Roofpitch Top
Theroofpitchofaportalframeshouldbekepttoaminimumtoreducethehorizontalforcesactingonthecolumnsofthestructure.Asthepitchoftheroofisincreased,sotoodothehorizontalforcesactingonthecolumnswhicharedesignedtoonlywithstandverticalforcesduetothelawofvectors(seefigure1).
.Figure1
PurlinsandGirts Top
PurlinsandgirtscomeinZandCsectionsandareusedtoattachabuildingscladdingtoitsframe.Theymakeupabout24%ofthetotalsteelusedintheconstruction.Itisforthis
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reasonthataminimalnumberofpurlinsandgirtsshouldbeusedinordertosavemoney.Formostindustrialbuildings,purlinswhichareabout200mmdeepappeartobeaneconomicallysufficientoption.InmostcasestheyareheldintoplacewithM12bolts.Tocreateacontinuousspan,ZsectionscanbeoverlappedandconnectedwhereasCsectionneedtobeconnectedatasupport.(seefigures2and3).
.Figure2:TheconnectionbetweenZandCsections,andarafter[takenfromZaragoza,pg.
29].
.Figure3.
Entrances Top
Fromresearchingportalframedbuildingsonsite,largedoorwaysof6metersorlessand
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highenoughtoenabletruckentrywereclosedoffwithrollerdoorsattachedstraightontotheframework.Therewasnochangeinsizeforthecolumnswhichtherollerdoorswhereattachedto(seefigure4).Asfordoorwaysforpeoplethesewheresimplydoorframesattachedstraightontothecladding.Whenlocatingdoorsitisimportanttorememberthattheremustbeamaximumof20mtothenearestexitwithinabuilding,duetorestrictionssetbytheBCA.
.Figure4:Showsarollerdoorconnecteddirectlytoacolumnoftheportalframe.
Considerationforstructuresduringconstruction Top
Whenerectingaframeitisimportanttoconsiderthedeflectionrateofabuildingunderitsownweight,orthebuildingsdeadload.Thereforewhenerectingthestructuretheframeshouldbepositionedsothatitopposesthedeflectionforces.
BRACING Top
Bracingisanessentialpartofeachandeverystructurebeingerectedinalmosteverycountryintheworldtoday.Itsfunctionisessentiallytoincreasethestructuresstrengthinordertopreventitfromfallingdownwhilsthavingaloadsuchaswind,rainorsnowapplied,aswellasbeingabletosupportitsdeadload.Belowisalistofbracingtypeswhichwefoundwereinuseinthewarehousesvisitedwhilstundergoingvarioussitevisits.
FLYBRACING Top
Flybracingisanessentialelementineverylongspanportalframewarehousedesign,asitnotonlypreventsthepurlinsfromtwistingandoverturning,butitalsolengthenstheinfluenceoftherafterbyincreasingtheroofsstrength,whichisespeciallyusefulforthebuilderscladdingtheroof.ThephotographicdetailsbelowweretakenataconstructionsiteinTorquay,andhighlightwhereflybracingisusedinwarehousedesign.
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.Examplesofflybracing.
.Theforcesopposedbyflybracing.
Flybracingisalsosometimesusedonthecolumnsandgirtsofaportalframetoalsopreventtheseelementsfromtwisting,howeverflybracingdoesaddcosttothebuildingandthereforeshouldonlybeusedwhereneeded.
.Flybracingbeingusedoncolumns.
ROOFBRACING Top
Crossedroofbracingisanothertypeofbracingwhichisessentialtotheerectionoflongspandesign.Itsfunctionistopreventtherafters/beamsofthestructurefrommovingapartfromoneanotherduetoawindloadbybeingplacedundereithertensionorcompression.Thefollowingdiagramillustrateshow
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Thefollowingphotographsillustratehowroofbracingisincorporatedintothestructureandhowitisattachedtotherafters/beams.
.Anexampleofroofbracing.
.Theconnectionbetweenrafterandroofbracing.
HAUNCHING Top
Forspansofover20metres,extrabracingisrequiredtokeepthesteelsubstructurefromcollapsinginonitself.Thisbracingisknownas'haunching'andisusuallymadeofacuttoshapeuniversal'I'beamwhichfitsintothecornermadebythestanchionandtherafters.Ahaunch'sdepthisusuallyaboutthesameasthedepthoftherafter,andintermsoflength,isusuallyintheorderofabout1015%ofthespanoftherafter.Ahaunchcanalsosignificantlylowerthecostofthesteelrequired,forexample,aportalframesectionmay
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costaround$950usinga450UB67rafterhoweverusinga310UB67theraftermaycostonlyasmuchas$800assumingthatahaunchisbeingused.
.AnexampleofhaunchingataBunning'swarehouse.
Anotherlocationwherehaunchingcanbefoundinlongspanconstructionisattheapexofthestructure.Again,thehaunch'sdepthisusuallyaboutthesameasthedepthoftherafter,howeverintermsoflength,theapexhaunchingisclosertobetween3040%ofthespanoftherafter.
.ApexhaunchingatawarehouseinTorquay.Thisphotoalsoshowstheapexconnection
betweenthetworafters.
STIFFENINGPLATES Top
Stiffeningplatesareanothertypeofbracingusedtoprevent'UniversalBeams'frombendingandtwisting.Thefollowingphotographshowsastiffeningplateinuse
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CONNECTIONSThewayinwhichanelementisconnectedtoanotherelementwillultimatelyaffecthowtheelementswillperform,thereforemuchattentionshouldalwaysbepaidtowhichconnectiontypeischosenforeachsituation.Theconnectiontypeusedisentirelydependentonthestructuralsystemchosen,whetheritbecolumnandtruss,threepinnedportaltrussortheportalframesystem.Belowisalistofthethreedifferentsystems,andtheadvantagesanddisadvantageseachsystemhas.Beforeanyconsiderationcanbegiventotheconnectionsbeingused,aconstructionsystemmustfirstbechosen.
COLUMNANDTRUSSThecolumnandtrusssystemwasdevelopedintheearlydaysofwarehousedesign,whenlabourwasrelativelycheapwhencomparedthecostsassociatedwithitnow.Duetothelabourintensiveprocessofprefabricationandthecostsassociatedwithproductionoftrusses,thissystemhasbeennearforgottenaboutandhasmadewayforother,lesslabourintensivesystems.
.AColumnandTrusssystem[takenfromZaragoza,pg.25].
AdvantagesIntheearlydaysofwarehousedesign,labourwasrelativelycheapcomparedtonow,sotheprocessofprefabricationwasrelativelyinexpensive,meaningthatthissystemwasreasonablyeconomicalandadoptable,howevernow,duetorisinglabourcosts,
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prefabricationhasbecomealotmoreexpensive.Lesssteelisusedthanboththeportalframesystemandthethreepinnedportaltrusssystem.
DisadvantagesCostlyprefabricatedtrussesareneeded.Cannotspanoverlargedistances.Difficulttoerect
VerdictThistypeofsystemwasnotplausibleforourtypeofconstruction,duetothelargespanneededandtheexcessivelabourcostwhichcomeswithemployingthistypeofsystem,therefore,wedidnotchoosetoemploythecolumnandtrusssystem.
THREEPINNEDPORTALTRUSS
Forspansofbetween4570metres,thethreepinnedportaltrusssystemisoneworthconsidering,howeverdependingontheconnectionmethodusedbetweentrusselements,andhowmuchweldingisusedtoconnecttheseelementsinsteadofthetraditionalrivets,willaffecthoweconomicalthesystemis.
.AThreePinnedPortalTrusssystem[takenfromZaragoza,pg.30].
AdvantagesForspansofbetween4570metres,thethreepinnedportaltrusssystemprovidesacheapermoreeconomicalalternativetoemployingmassivelywideuniversalbeams,whichwouldneedtobeusedshouldtheportalframesystembeemployed.
DisadvantagesForspansoflessthan45metres,thecostandamountoflabourthatneedstobeusedinthecreationofathreepinnedportaltrusssystemfaroutweighsthematerialandlabourcostsassociatedwithaportalframesystem,thereforedeemingittobeinefficient.
VerdictDuetothesub45metrespanofourwarehousedesign,thethreepinnedportaltrusssystemwasdeemedtobeuneconomicalduetotheexcessivelabourcoststhatthissystemrequires,especiallyforaspanassmallasours.
PORTALFRAME
Theportalframesystemiswidelyconsideredthemosteconomicalsolutiontoawarehousedesignofspanbetween1545metres.Eventhoughboththecolumnandtrusssystemandthethreepinnedportaltrusssystemrequirelesssteeltobuild,duetothefactthatbothof
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thesesystemsaremorelabourintensiveandarehardertoerectmeansthatoverall,theportalframesystemisthemosteconomicalsystemtouseovera1545metrespan.
.APortalFramesystem[takenfromZaragoza,pg.25].
AdvantagesThelabourcostsassociatedwithbuildingthistypeofsystemaresignificantlylessthanboththecolumnandtrusssystemandthethreepinnedportaltrusssystem.Theerectionoftheportalframesystemiseasierthanboththecolumnandtrusssystemandthethreepinnedportaltrusssystem.Inmanyinstances,lessbracingisneededthanwhatwouldberequiredhadeitheroftheothertwosystemsbeenemployed.
DisadvantagesMoresteelisneededtobuildthistypeofsystem
VerdictFora1545metrespan,thistypeofsystemwasdeemedtobethemostsuitable,thuswaschosenbyusasthemostappropriatesystemforwhatweneed.
Oncechosen,theconnectiontobeusedcanthenbeselected.
STANCHIONSLAB/FOOTINGJOINT(ofaportalframe)
PINJOINTS
UsePinJointsareanincreasinglyraretypeofconnectionbetweenstanchionandslab/footing.Theyarenotcommonlyusednowadaysduetotheirinabilitytotransferbendingmomentsasefficientlyasrigidbases,astheymusttransferthebendingmomentverticallythroughtheground,notthefooting.Theyarehoweverefficientateliminatingrotationalforces(howeverrigidjointsarealsocapableofdoingthis).
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.Arigidjointseenonsite
AdvantagesAresuitableforpoorfoundations(suchastheClassMsoilonwhichoursiteisbuilt).Aregoodateliminatingrotationalforces.Requireslessconcrete,thereforearemorecostefficientoverlongspans.
DisadvantagesAremorecostlyoversmallerspansduetoincreasedsteelusage.Doesnottransferbendingmomentsthroughfootings.Increasedbracing,comparedtoarigidjoint,maybenecessary.
RIGIDJOINTS
UseRigidJointsarethemorecommonlyusedconnectiontypebetweenstanchionandslab/footing,duethefactthatcancarrybendingmomentsandalsoaxialloads.Indoingso,theyareabletosignificantlyreducetheamountofmovementintheframe,especiallyaroundthejointbetweenstanchionandslab/footingbytransferringtheloadsdirectlytothefootings.Thisalsomeansthattheframecanbelighter,leadingtoareducedcostinframingmaterials.Concretecostshoweverareincreased,duetothelargeramountofconcreteneededtohousetheextrabolts(4areneeded,comparedto2or3forapinjoint).
.TwoexamplesofaRigidJoint
AdvantagesLighterframecanbeused,leadingtoareductioninframingcosts.Aremorecostefficientforsmallerspannedareas.
DisadvantagesIncreasedconcretecostduetoextrahousingneededforextrabolts(thefurtherthebolts
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arefromthestanchion,thestrongerthejointwillbe).Arelesssuitableforpoorfoundations.Rigidbasehaslittleadvantageoverlargespans,likethatwhichwearedealingwith.
KNEEJOINT(ofaportalframe)
Duetothelargespanofourwarehousedesignonlytwotypesofjointswereplausibleforthissituation,onebeingaweldedjointandtheotherbeingaboltedjoint.Haunchingwasnecessityforourwarehousedesignduetothefactthatthespanbeingcoveredisover20m(forspansunder20m,haunchingmaynotbenecessary).
WELDEDJOINT
Examplesofaweldedjoint[takenfromZaragoza,pg.25].
AdvantagesRequirelessdetailingthanboltedjoints.Noconsiderationsneedtobemadetotensionedbolts.
DisadvantagesCanonlyspanadistanceofapproximately20metres.Notasmuchtensioning/adjustingofthejointcanbedoneonsiteasthatcanbedonebyaboltedjoint.
VerdictAsweldedjointsonlyhaveaspanningcapacityofapproximately20metres,wechosenottoemploythemasthejointofchoiceforboththekneejoint.
BOLTEDJOINT
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Examplesofaboltedjoint[takenfromZaragoza,pg.25].
AdvantagesAssuminghaunchingisused,canspanadistanceofupto45metres.Jointscanbetightenedandadjustedonsitefarmoreeasilythanweldedjoints.
DisadvantagesAttentionmustbepaidtothedetailingofthejointswhentensionedboltshavebeenemployed.Ifshortcutsaremadebyattemptingtosimplifythejointsbyincreasingtheamountofworkdonebythefabricator,thenclearanceproblemsmayariseonsite.Ifajointhasbeenpoorlydetailedandcannotbetightened/tensionedonsite,thenseriousproblemsmayoccur.
VerdictDuetothefactthatthissortofjointcanbemoreeasilyadjustedandtightenedonsite,wechosetoemployboltedjointingatthekneejoint.
APEXJOINT(ofaportalframe)Onceagain,onlytwotypesofjointswereplausiblefortheapexjointofourstructure.Theyaretheweldedjointandtheboltedjoint.
WeldedJoint|BoltedJoint
CONNECTIONBETWEENTILTSLABANDRAFTER
Duetothefactthatwehaveincorporatedafirewallintoourwarehousedesignbyplacingatiltslabattheconnectingpointbetweenthewarehouseandtheshowroommeansthatwehadtodealwiththeissueofaconnectionbetweensomeoftheraftersandthetiltslab.Thiswasaddressedby,aftervisitingafewsites,boltingametal'shelf'intotheslabandultimatelyallowingtheraftertosituponit,asshowninthephotographbelow
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.Aconnectionbetweenrafterandtiltslab
Whatthisalsomeantwasthattherewouldbeapurlinrunningparallelwiththetiltslab,thusthisalsoneededconnecting.Thistoowasaddressedbyconductingsitevisitsandobservingwhatthecommonpracticeis.Thesolutionwasasfollows
.Aconnectionbetweenpurlinandtiltslab
TheWebTrussThewebtrussisanothermethodofspaninglargedistancesandcoveringlargeunencumberedspaces.Intheconstructionofthewarehouseresearchedforthisprojectbuiltby"MecanoSheds"inQueenslandawebtrusswasemployedforpartofitsspace.Inconsultationwiththedeveloperwhobuiltthiswarehouseitwasfoundthatthisdecisionwasmadeonaneconomicbasis.Intheopinionofthedeveloperaprefabricatedtrusssystemmadeupofpreassembledcoldformedelementswasfarcheaperandlighterthanalargeuniversalbeam.Howeverthefactthatthetrusssystemwasonlyemployedforthepartofthewarehousethatspans20metressuggeststhatitisnotadequateforspanslongerthanthat.Forthesectionofthewarehousespanning30metresasystememployingcompositehotrolled'c'sectionswasused.Forthesereasonswehavedecidedtousethewebtrusssystemintheupperstoreyshowroom.
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WarehouseinQueensland
CADmodeloftheframe
WarehouseReasearchPlan's Top
Design1
TIMBERFRAMES Top
Introduction
Timberframesarebestsuitedtostructureswithclearspansofbetween1530metres.Asastructuralmaterial,woodhasseveraladvantagesanddisadvantages,whicharediscussedinthetablebelow.TheuseofwoodinstructuresfallsintofourmaingroupsSolidlengthsofwoodwhichareusedasstructuralmembers'Boxbeams'aremadeupofplywoodorLVLandareusedtocreatestructuralmembersof
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differentsizesandforms(seefigure6)withawidthrangingfromL/8toL/12where'L'isequaltothelengthoftheboxbeam.Thesetypesofmembershaveaveryhighstrengthtoweightratioandsothereforecanspangreatdistances.Aboxbeamalsohaslessvolumeinitthanasolidpeaceofwood,andsothereforecostsless.Structuresusing'boxbeams'arethemosteconomicalatspanninglargedistances(seefigures7and8).Glulamismadeupoflaminatedsheetsstucktogethertocreateathickmemberwhichismuchstrongerthanasolidpeaceofwood.ThesheetsofplywoodmustbestucktogetherusingTypeAbondsasstandardisedbythePlywoodAssociationofAustralia(PAA).Glulamhasthesameresistancetofireasasolidpeaceofwood.Trussframescanbemadeupofeithersolidtimber,'boxbeams',and/orGlulamplanks.Thetrussstructure,thoughmoreexpensive,cancomplementastructureaestheticallyandinsomecasessuchaswithsolidlengthsofwood,willincreaseitsspanningability.(seefigures9and10).
.Figure6.(takenfromhttp://oak.arch.utas.edu.au/research/portal.asp#introduction)
.Figure7(takenfromhttp://oak.arch.utas.edu.au/research/portal.asp#introduction)
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.Figure8(takenfromhttp://oak.arch.utas.edu.au/research/portal.asp#introduction)
.Figure9(takenfromhttp://oak.arch.utas.edu.au/research/portal.asp#introduction)
.Figure10(takenfromhttp://oak.arch.utas.edu.au/research/portal.asp#introduction)
TheAdvantagesandDisadvantagesofaTimberFrame
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.Figure11(takenfromhttp://oak.arch.utas.edu.au/research/portal.asp#introduction)
CONCLUSION Top
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Warehouseconstruction
Forthewarehouseframe,wechosea'onewayrigidframe'.Thisframewaschosenbecauseitwascosteffective,inthatyouaresavingmoneybyhavingsimpleconnectionsonthebracedplanes.Thisframingtypewasalsochosenduetoitslargespanningability,creatingopenfloorspacewhichenablesthewarehousefloortoberearrangedinanyway.Thoughtheuseofa'twowayrigidframe'wouldalsogivealargeopenspanningability,thecostofhavingrigidconnectionsthroughouttheentirebuildingwouldhavebeenanunnecessaryexpense.Theuseofatwowaybracedframewasnotuseddespitethefactthatmoneywouldhavebeensavedonsimpleconnectionsthroughoutthebuilding.Heavierbeamsandmuchmorebracingwouldhavebeenneededwhichwouldhaveraisedthepriceoftheoverallstructure.A'woodenportalframe'wasnotchosenforfourreasonsFirstly,thefactwoodhasmuchmorearticulatedmovementandcreepthansteel.Secondly,thatwoodstructuresarepronetorotting,warping,andsplittingunlessmaintainedandtreated,addingcostsontothelifeofthebuildingthatmayexceedtheinitialcostmarginbetweensteelandtimberconstruction.Thirdly,thefactthatwooddoesnothaveashigha'qualitycontrol'inregardstoknotsandsplitsinthetimber,comparedtosteelwhichisconstantlyconsistentthoughoutthemember.Lastlythefactthatinafire,a'boxbeam'(themostcosteffectiveformofconstruction)willnotlastaslongassteelasitismadeupofthinmembersinaboxformation.Thememberssizesfortheportalframeselementswhereascertainedbyexaminingstructuresunderconstructionandalreadymadestructures,namelythoseat'Fagg'sMitre10inSouthGeelongand'BunningsWarehouse'inCorio.Fromtakingmeasurementsofthesebuildingsmembersandstudyingtheirplans(seebelow)wewereabletoestablisharoughunderstandingofthesizesneededtospanadistanceof40metres.Tosavemoney,thedimensionsofthebuildingwherereducedfrom40mx40mto30mx54m.Thischangeinwidthenabledustousesmallermembersspanasmallergap,thussavingmoneyonmaterials.Usingthesemeasurements,andwiththehelpofourtutor,wewereabletochosesmallermemberswhichwouldeffectivelyspanthe30metreclearance.Theheightofthewarehousewaslargelydecidedbytheheightofaforklift.Fromthiswewereabletodecidethatthebuildingshouldbe5500mmhighatitslowestpoint(thelongedges).Asforthepurlinsandgirts,Zsectionswherechosenfortheroofastheycanbeconnectedtoformacontinuesmembersavingmoneyandaddingstrength.ThegirtsaremadeofZsectionsbecausetheytoocanbemadeintocontinuesmembers.
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.Figure12(takenfromP.J.O'ReillyandAssociates).
Figure13(takenfromP.J.O'ReillyandAssociates).
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Figure14(takenfromP.J.O'ReillyandAssociates).
Figure14(takenfromP.J.O'ReillyandAssociates).
References Top
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http://oak.arch.utas.edu.au/research/portal.asp#introductionwww.Ibstructures.co.uk/metspan.htmwww.rpi.eduwww.arch,usyd.edu.auBEMilnerHR,Thedesignandconstructionoftimberportalframes,ChisholmInstituteoftechnology,Melbourne,1988MainstoneRowlandJ,DevelopmentsinStructuralform,1steditionwithRIBAPublishingLtd1975,PenguinBooks,1983.Constructionandstructures2readerZaragoza,JosR,EconomicalStructuralSteelworkFourthEdition,AustralianInstituteofSteelConstruction,Sydney,1997