(Continued from last week …)
In steel building construction, temperature loads are important to note as steel will expand and contract as the ambient temperature fluctuates. Heat and cold loads, arguably, are determined by the building use, climate, and level of insulation. It may not be so important to calculate the correct thermal loads for buildings that are smaller, buildings in temperate climates, or climate controlled structures. Where there are changes in seasonal climates, and also for unheated single story steel buildings with expansive clear-span capability, however, it may be imperative. Thermal shrinking due to cold weather, as an example, may damage welds and bolts of pre-engineered steel structures. If there can be an increase or decrease of 50 degrees Fahrenheit from the most conceivable temperature at the time of the building’s erection, then cold and heat loading estimates should be considered in steel building designs.
(to be concluded next week …)
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General Steel