BRACING SYSTEMS OF

THE INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS

FUNCTIONS OF BRACING SYSTEMS
CLASSIFICATION OF BRACING SYSTEMS
GENERAL ASPECTS FOR DESIGN

FUNCTIONS OF BRACING SYSTEMS

The transversal frames are not able to take loads that act
perpendicular to this plan.
The stiffness of the whole structure is insured with longitudinal ties
between the plane structural elements.

The bracing system insures the spatial character and a greater

stiffness. Their roles are:
a spatial collaboration between the transversal frames;
small deformations of the structure under horizontal transversal
actions;
stability during the assembling stage;
diminish the effective lengths of the structural elements in
compression;
take over the horizontal loads due to wind actions and the surge
effects due to cranes.

CLASSIFICATION OF BRACING SYSTEMS

The following structural elements are usually

braced:
roof trusses;
skylight (if there are);
columns;
crane girders (particular situations).
In the longitudinal direction of the structure,
generally in the bays situated in the middle of the
blocks for temperature tolerance (contractionexpansion) two running transversal frames are
bounded together in a stiffen block.

BRACES FOR THE TRUSS

-horizontal longitudinal bracing at

the bottom flange of the truss

Along the structure in the external panels,

between the joint in the supports of the
trusses and the next joint by
longitudinal elements (rods);
Take the horizontal reactions from the top
part of the intermediary columns that
carry the longitudinal walls; if the truss
is fixed to the column, the bottom
chord of the truss is in compression
and has to be provided with bracing in
the second panel.
The positions of the bracing in the case of
multi-spans structures when both the
heights of the columns and the lift
capacities of the cranes have small or
medium values are presented and also
for big heights and heavy lift
capacities.

Bracing systems at the bottom chord of the truss in two

situations: when the distance rods are placed in the truss
joints; when the distance rods are placed intermediary
between the truss joints (smaller loads applied to the
bracing system)

Design elements of the horizontal bracing

system at the bottom chord of the truss
(the sheeting is light and it cannot take
wind loads in its plane)

Different situations imposing the layout of

various forms of bracing systems at the
bottom chord of the truss: fixed connection
between the truss and the column, light
cranes and small heights and heavy cranes
and big heights (also, cranes placed at
different levels)

horizontal transversal bracing from the bottom and the

top chord of the truss

Are placed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the structure and in the
end bays of the structure, in the bays next to the tolerance distance
between adjacent blocks and at about 50 m along the structure. Some of
the purlins are part of the system of horizontal bracings (under the skylight
the purlins are missing so rods have to be placed).
The bracing from the bottom chord of the truss are necessary in order to
avoid the local buckling of the elements in the bottom chord of the truss.
The bracing from the top chord take the horizontal reactions coming from
the top of the intermediate columns of the walls in the gable (reactions
coming from the wind action normal to the wall) or alternatively, to a
horizontal conventional force:

P=0.02Nmax
(1)
where Nmax is the maximum axial stress in the top chord of the truss coming
from the vertical loads on the roof. The force P is distributed to the joints of
the bracing system as in a lattice girder after that the final stresses being
determined (fig.4). It is a lattice girder with two slopes but in the design and
computation stage is assimilated with a plane system.

the vertical bracing of the

marginal and central struts
of the truss

Are placed in the end bays of the

structure and intermediary at 3-5
bays along the structure (in order
to insure the stability at the
assembling stage).
They may also be put under the
supports of the skylight and in the
case of the overhead travelling
cranes at the joints of the bottom
chord of the truss.

Design of the internal

members of the horizontal
transversal bracing

Vertical bracing system of

the struts of the truss:
marginal and central

Braces for the columns

M

0; W F p hi V LT 0

V W F p

hi
W F p tg
LT

0;W F p 2 D cos

Design of the vertical bracing of the columns in the central rigid frame

vertical bracing of the columns

D

W Fp
2 cos

Are placed in the axis of the columns in the longitudinal direction along the
building;
In the end bays, because of the tolerances that are to be taken into
account, only a flexible rod is put at the top part of the column;
Generally, the bracings are placed both at the top and at the bottom part of
the column in a bay situated in the middle of the longitudinal axes, or if the
building is long, at L/3, L being the longitudinal in plane dimension;

horizontal bracing of(7)the columns

They are used in the case when the bays are very big to of reduce the
effective length of the intermediary columns of the longitudinal walls and to
help them in taking the horizontal forces transmitted by the wind to the
walls.
The design of the cross sections of the braces is based on the slenderness
assumption, because of their small dimensions: