5/1/2018 Pre-Engineered : From Start to Finish

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PRE-ENGINEERED : FROM
START TO FINISH
FEATURE  /  JUN 2010

The construction of a pre-engineering building is a methodical

step-by-step progression centred in design and function. Charu
Bahri takes you through the process.

Here's a classic case of form following function. The

construction of a pre-engineered building (PEB) commences
with identifying the precise functions the structure will serve, so
the loading of the building can be worked out and parameters
in uencing key structural components be charted and frozen.
“Every PEB is constructed to serve a certain purpose and, hence,
the user plays a key role in this process, more so as the built-up
components of a PEB are manufactured under stringent quality
norms in a factory leaving no room for change at a later date,”
emphasises N Srinivas, Director - Technical, Lloyd Insulations
(India) Ltd.

Design is the key

Companies forming part of the PEB industry typically use

meticulous design software facilitating 3D modelling and
detailing of the proposed structure. “At Lloyd Insulations, we
prefer using proprietary software as this takes care of the
standard code regulating Indian buildings and construction,
which also applies to PEBs,” adds Srinivas. “Some international
software options follow American standards, and thus do not
serve our purpose.”

Zamil Industrial, the parent company of Zamil Steel Buildings

India Pvt Ltd., has progressed from manually detailing
engineering drawings to using sophisticated licensed CAD
software for pre-engineered construction industry and, further,
to using its in-house developed proprietary design software,
including INTLEST (Intelligent Building Estimator), AGOSED
(Automatic Generator of Shop and Erection Drawings), ASFAD
(Advanced Structural Frame Analysis and Design) and Ez-Build.
As a result, today, “100 per cent of engineering output is in
digital format, facilitating the digital transportation of drawings

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to customers through FTP sites,” observes VenuGopal K,

Marketing Manager, Zamil Steel Buildings India Pvt Ltd.

Foundation matters

The foundation work entailed in constructing a PEB starts with

the preparation of site, similar to the construction of
conventional buildings. This involves two steps: civil foundation
work, followed by the construction of the PEB superstructure on
the foundation. Here, Mrinal Roy, Head - Marketing, Minaean
Habitat India Pvt Ltd, cites plain cement concrete (PCC) as
providing a strong and stable base for the foundation as it
avoids direct contact of the foundation with soil and provides a
at base (vis-à-vis an undulating base) for the upcoming
foundation. To a certain extent, PCC also reduces the stresses
on the soil and, as the grade of concrete used in PCC usually
di ers from that used in the foundation, it provides the
substructure in a wholesome di erential to reduce the impact
of ground bacteria on the foundation.

The actual foundation di ers depending on the kind of soil. “We

chose a relatively shallow, isolated foundation for our project
involving the construction of residential PEBs in Valsad, Gujarat,
as black cotton soil [sandy loam or clay-sand soil] is well suited
to this method, involving the construction of a rectangular
footing and a pedestal,' explains Roy. “The pedestal carries the
column load to the footing, while the footing spreads the load
onto the soil and the PCC. If the same project were to be taken
up in a coastal area, we would probably have gone in for a pile
foundation. However, the depth of the foundation would be
signi cantly less than a conventional heavier structure. For
instance, the construction of a ground-plus-two-storey brick and
mortar housing structure would entail a 2.5 m pile foundation in
a coastal region, whereas a PEB of the same height would only
require a 1.25 m pile foundation. The steel frames of the PEB
are anchored to bolts embedded into the pedestal at an
appropriate depth depending on the load of the structure.”

For his part, Rohit Ranjan, General Manager - Marketing

(Building Solutions), Tata BlueScope Steel Ltd, a rms, “As the
unit weight of PEBs is considerably lower than conventional RCC
buildings, similar functionality can be achieved with much
smaller footings and foundations. This makes the structure
economical by reducing the amounts of steel and concrete used
for reinforcement. Anchor bolts are used to secure the steel
structure to the foundation.”

Steel at the core

At the core of every PEB-whether it is a one-room kiosk or an

expansive airport hangar, styled pillar-free warehouse or multi-
storied building-is a steel frame manufactured to meet exacting
speci cations. However, the grade of steel used to make the
frame di ers depending on the type of structure. As Manish
Garg, President, Steel Building Solutions, Everest Industries Ltd,
explains, “A modular PEB, limited to being a ground-plus-one-
storey structure, requires a light gauge steel frame of a lesser
thickness, typically 0.9 mm to 1.2 mm but with a higher tensile
strength of 550 mpa. In comparison, the steel framing for a
large, pillar-free structure is made of thicker steel, usually 4 mm
to 50 mm, with a lower tensile strength of 345 mpa.”

An integral component of a PEB, steel also nds expression in

the roo ng of single-storey and in the ooring and roo ng of
multi-storied PEBs. As Garg tells us, “Contrary to laying an RCC

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5/1/2018 Pre-Engineered : From Start to Finish

slab supported by RCC columns and beams, in a traditional

construction, a multi-storey PEB mandates steel columns and
beams connected by nuts and bolts, to support a steel
corrugated decking sheet that is typically 1 mm thick. The steel
deck becomes a permanent part of the structure, unlike the
supportive shuttering used in conventional construction that is
removed after the concrete has matured. The method speci es
minimum reinforcement for the concrete that is poured on the
form, that is, the steel deck, and which becomes the oor of the
next storey.”

What's on the wall?

The extensive range of wall nishes for a steel-framed building

includes granite, stone cladding, bre cement insulated panels,
conventional brickwork, structural glazing, insulated steel
panels, and aluminium composite panels. The choice usually
depends on the client's preference and type of the building.

Nevertheless, the PEB industry seems given to using insulated

steel panels in commercial establishments, because of their
strength and ability to function as an e ective weather barrier.
For instance, for the construction of a chain of cash 'n' carry
mega-sized Walmart stores, Everest Industries is using 50-mm-
thick insulated polyurethane foam pu steel panels. “The panels
have twice the normal insulation and still the thickness of the
walls does not exceed 2 inch, vis-à-vis a conventional 9-inch-
thick brick wall,” adds Garg. “The roof of the stores also makes
use of insulated steel panels to bring down the energy load of
the structure.”

Lloyd Insulations is primarily engaged in the design and

fabrication of specialised PEBs for industrial purposes, for which
Srinivas endorses the use of metal wall and roo ng panels that
accommodate sway as opposed to more rigid options. In fact,
Srinivas prefers steel panels even as he says that the focus in
designing PEBs is always on optimising the use of steel to
reduce its consumption.

Speaking of the scope of brickwork in PEBs, Venugopal notes

that if the client prefers fully or partially blocked walls, some
brickwork is entailed, otherwise the company adopts its own
metal panel-based, wall building system that o ers complete
insulation as required.

Green materials

High-density bre cement boards are Minean Habitat's choice

for external and internal layers of the walls of the multi-storied
residential buildings it is constructing in Valsad. While the
external board is 12 mm thick, the internal board is 10 mm and
the space between is occupied by electrical and plumbing
conduits and mineral wool insulating panels. “We opted to use
high-density bre cement boards as we wanted the exterior
appearance of the buildings to resemble that of conventionally
constructed structures,” reveals Roy. “So the boards will be
plastered by the EIFS system [a composite wall and ceiling nish
system consisting of base coat, reinforcing mesh and nish coat
applied to cement board]. The cement board is attached to
framing over a code-approved, water-resistive barrier, and
painted over.”

High-density bre cement boards or gypsum drywalls are

equally useful as internal partitions and, as experts point out,
these materials have no adverse impact on the surrounding

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environment. In fact, PEBs are increasingly being cited as

ful lling the three key features of green buildings: being made
of reusable or recyclable components; being energy-e cient
(using natural ventilation and natural lighting systems); and
being environment-friendly. After all, 98 per cent of a
completely pre-engineered structure is composed of aluminium
or steel. Both materials are recyclable and reusable, on an as-is
basis with minimum loss. PEB buildings that are designed to
have adequate ventilation and lighting using natural ridge
ventilators and FG/FRP skylights are also energy-e cient. What's
more, PEBs have a long life and entail minimal maintenance
costs. Indeed, it wouldn't be surprising if PEBs emerge as the
green buildings of the future!

The Time Factor

Explaining the saving in the overall time taken to construct a

PEB (vis-à-vis a conventional RCC structure), Rohit Ranjan,
General Manager - Marketing (Building Solutions), Tata
BlueScope Steel Ltd, says that every component is designed and
fabricated in the plant. The components are only required to be
assembled at site, which ensures precise and faster erection of
the structure. In contrast, RCC buildings require a considerably
higher level of coordination at site between various building
material suppliers. Conventional buildings also require curing
time for the concrete and mortar used, whereas PEBs are ready
to occupy as soon as the last bolt is in place.

Industry experts point out that a medium-sized PEB intended to

be used for a manufacturing setup (size 300 m long × 180 m
wide × 6 m high) would take only six months to construct,
whereas it would take 12 to 14 months to construct a
conventional structure of the same size.

Scope of PEBs in India

According to VenuGopal K, Marketing Manager, Zamil Steel

Buildings India Pvt Ltd, the concept of PEBs has progressed by
leaps and bounds since it was introduced in India in the early
1990s, primarily as a rapid building solution for warehouses and
kiosks. He estimates the present market potential for pre-
engineered steel buildings exceeds 0.3 million tonne per annum
while the current available manufacturing capacity is over 0.6
million tonne per annum. The industry is presently growing at a
rate of 10 to 15 per cent, which is not surprising given the
overall rule of thumb governing costs and time for construction
- a PEB intended for general purpose is 30 per cent cheaper vis-
à-vis a conventional RCC building, if you consider that it reduces
the total construction time of the project by at least 30 to 40 per
cent, not to mention the durability and salvage value of steel.
The estimated use of PEBs will increase even further once heavy
industries like power and steel are more lenient towards the
concept. Companies like Zamil Steel have the required
engineering and supply capability in these areas.

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5/1/2018 Pre-Engineered : From Start to Finish

TAGS CLOUD

PRE-ENGINEERING BUILDING DESIGN FUNCTION PEB

N SRINIVAS LLOYD INSULATIONS SOFTWARE 3D

AMERICA ZAMIL STEEL CAD INTLEST AGOSED ASFAD

FTP VENUGOPAL K MRINAL ROY MINAEAN HABITAT PCC

VALSAD GUJARAT ROHIT RANJAN TATA BLUESCOPE

RCC ANCHOR BOLTS MANISH GARG EVEREST WALMART

LLOYD EIFS FG/FRP WAREHOUSES KIOSKS

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