Steel Truss Engineering

[hemmjo]

I am building a barn based on 3 shipping containers. I will post the progress of that as I proceed. At this time I have the 3 containers set and bolted into place.

My original design called for wood trusses, spaced 4 ft on center. As I finished setting the containers and spent some time working between them where the High Bay will be, I struck me that I should really use steel trusses to give me more height inside. I have reworked the design using steel trusses spaced 10ft on center. The snow load in our area is 25psf.

I submitted a revision for my building permit. The revision is approved PENDING engineered drawings for the trusses. I have not been successful finding that except for a cost about twice that of completed trusses. I am now in a catch 22. I cannot get approval until I get an engineered drawing, I cannot get a drawing until I order and pay for the trusses, I will not order the trusses until I get revised plan approved.

I have a quote for OVER $5000.00 for a drawing. Another company quoted $3000 for 7 trusses but is not willing to even give me specifications, before I order and pay for the trusses.

I see trusses like this or very similar everywhere. Is there some standard for building them? Perhaps one of you is, or knows a professional engineer who would be interested in this. What would it cost to get an engineered drawing?


One of the trusses will be over a 12' space in the building. I will also need a header for each side to support that truss over the opening.

Located in Ohio, I have located truss manufacturers in some southern states, but they have not responded to my inquiries, and they state their trusses are designed for 20 psi snow load.

While I had planned to purchase fabricated trusses, at this point I am willing to build them myself if I can get good specifications.

I am open all suggestions. If I am crazy, I need to know that also.

Thanks,

John

[Frank S]

What you have shown are almost just simple bar joists.
You can find many charts giving the span and loading of any bar joist size up to around 60 feet in length You may be able to contact a manufacture or distributor and get drawings from them without having to place an order first

[paulsabatier]

I am building a barn based on 3 shipping containers. I will post the progress of that as I proceed. At this time I have the 3 containers set and bolted into place.

My original design called for wood trusses, spaced 4 ft on center. As I finished setting the containers and spent some time working between them where the High Bay will be, I struck me that I should really use steel trusses to give me more height inside. I have reworked the design using steel trusses spaced 10ft on center. The snow load in our area is 25psf.

I submitted a revision for my building permit. The revision is approved PENDING engineered drawings for the trusses. I have not been successful finding that except for a cost about twice that of completed trusses. I am now in a catch 22. I cannot get approval until I get an engineered drawing, I cannot get a drawing until I order and pay for the trusses, I will not order the trusses until I get revised plan approved.

I have a quote for OVER $5000.00 for a drawing. Another company quoted $3000 for 7 trusses but is not willing to even give me specifications, before I order and pay for the trusses.

I see trusses like this or very similar everywhere. Is there some standard for building them? Perhaps one of you is, or knows a professional engineer who would be interested in this. What would it cost to get an engineered drawing?


One of the trusses will be over a 12' space in the building. I will also need a header for each side to support that truss over the opening.

Located in Ohio, I have located truss manufacturers in some southern states, but they have not responded to my inquiries, and they state their trusses are designed for 20 psi snow load.

While I had planned to purchase fabricated trusses, at this point I am willing to build them myself if I can get good specifications.

I am open all suggestions. If I am crazy, I need to know that also.

Thanks,

John

This may be useful
https://skyciv.com/free-truss-calculator/

[mbshop]

My bil is an industrial engineer and spent 30 years doing wood truss design and work. Now he checks designs for compliance, etc. He does federal buildings, hospitals and schools besides std designs. He only does calif now. To make this short, he recommends wood trusses as being the cheapest way to go. He also said to find a co close by and have them design and make the trusses. Metal will cost much more and require a licensed welder. He won't be able to help you and could not give more advice without more info. But that's the jist of it.

[hemmjo]

I have plans, approval and many sources for wood trusses. That is not the issue.

Steel trusses have some advantages for my application. Most important for me is the increased interior height. That would be worth some extra dollars. Each truss costs more, but I do not need as many. The total cost may be a bit more, but it does not seem not significant, at this point anyway. That may prove to be untrue.

I have to investigate them fully before I move forward. Should have done it before I started, but better now than never.

John

[Frank S]

I retired as an industrial design engineer and used to design a lot of pre engineered steel buildings and my freight elevators but I was never licensed as a PE here in the USA my exploits were mostly overseas. so far as your trusses go as small as your enclosure is, like I said you shouldn't have any problem just buying a few 12 to 16"bar joists long enough to do the job cut the bottom angles then bend them to the shape you require and have a welder weld them back together with a strip of bent flat bar welded underneath something like 3/8 by 4" with the 2 legs being as long as the height of the bar joist. I can draw it for you but can not provide a stamp if you require that you would have to seek out a PE.