Tutorial Excericise 3: Portal Frame Detail

Tutorial Excercise 2: Portal Frame Detail

Tutorial Excercise 1: Commercial Building Annalysis

Picture One: Exterior of Building

Building: Spotlight Australia
Address: 227 Ballarat Road
Braybrook, VIC, 3019
Architect: Unknown
Built: 1998







Picture Two: Element

Element: Structural Universal Beam/Column

- This picture shows the internal structure or Portal Frame of Spotlight Australia.
- The Columns are spaced far apart and they are all connected in union with the Rafters.
- The Portal Frame structure is very important as it:
· Keeps the building in its shape.
· Helps the walls resist lateral loads (wind loads)?
· Supports the roof load and its large surface area.
· Supports high walls against wind loads, which is very important because the walls have such a large surface area that will trap more wind, causing the suction forces to be stronger (The bigger the surface area = more exposure to wind = more wind is traped).
Each beam that contributes to the formation of a Portal Frame, works in union to support and hold together the entire building.





Picture Three: Detail

Detail: Connection of Universal Beams

- The Rafter Beams are connected by cleats and large bolts (They are attached to the web of each beam)
- At least 4 large bolts are used for each cleat.
- Both bolts and cleats work together to connect each beam and enhance the buildings overall stability (rigid connection?).
- An interesting aspect of this detail, is the way the Beams are situated/sitting.
- As you can see, there is a gap between the two Beams.
- I'm assuming that this is probably to allow for movement as steel tends to expand in warmer temperatures.
- It is also interesting how there is no column or vertical beam connected to the rafters to create a rigid connect.
- It looks like it's connected to the concrete panel walls , instead of a column.
However, the previous photo shows that the end of each rafter is connected to a column, creating a rigid connection.
In this detail, there is no cloumn to create a rigid connection or to tranfer loads to the footings.