Section:

DESIGN PROCEDURES DP 4.8

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A. GENERAL

Situations arise in which the largest standard single purlin or girt section does not have the
necessary strength or stiffness for the given span and/or loading. This can occur in both simple
and continuous span purlins and girts. When the condition is such that the entire building is
affected the solution is usually straightforward. In this case the purlin or girt spacing is usually
reduced over the entire roof or wall to a space that will allow use of the largest member size. In
some cases however the problem may exist in only a small number of bays. Frequently the
problem is limited to a single bay. Some common examples of this are listed below.

1) End bay purlins at roof height changes with snow build up loads
2) End bays or interior bays with additional loads or longer bay spaces than the rest of the
building
3) Jamb support girts carrying large door jamb reactions
4) End bay deflection requirements

When this problem occurs in relatively few bays reduction of the purlin/girt spacing in all bays
may not be the most economical solution. The nested secondary option may be employed to
increase the strength and stiffness of the purlins/girts in individual bays.

B. NESTED (REINFORCED) Sections

The nested sections consist of either 8 or 10 Zee main members reinforced with 7 or 8
Cee members as shown below in Figure 1. The reinforcing Cee sections are provided as
shipped loose components to be field installed with self-drilling fasteners located at third points
and A325T bolts at member ends as shown in Figures 2 through 4.

` 2.375 2.5 ` 2.5 3.5

Available Nested Sections

0.073, 0.088 0.073, 0.088
0.113 0.113
Main Z Member Reinforcing C
0.113 0.113
8 Z (0.073) w/ 7 C (0.113)
8.5 10.0 8 Z (0.088) w/ 7 C (0.113)
8 Z (0.113) w/ 7 C (0.113)
7.0 8.5
10Z (0.073) w/ 8 C (0.113)*
10Z (0.088) w/ 8 C (0.113)*
10Z (0.113) w/ 8 C (0.113)*

Figure 1: Available Nested Sections

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B1. Simple (Outset) Girts

Simple girt nesting is accomplished

with field installed 7 or 8 C-members,
detailed the length of the bay,
interconnected at 1/3 points w/ (2)
fasteners and member ends w/ (2)
A325T bolts.

Figure 2

B2. Continuous Girts

Continuous girt nesting is accomplished with

field installed 7 or 8 C-members, detailed
the length between the 1-0 bolt locations,
interconnected at 1/3 points w/ (2) fasteners
and member ends w/ (2) A325T bolts.

B3. Simple (Inset) Girts

Simple inset girt nesting is

accomplished with field installed 7 or
8 C-members, detailed the length
between the 2-0 bolt connection
locations, interconnected at 1/3 points
w/ (2) fasteners and member ends
w/ (2) A325T bolts.

Figure 3

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B4. Roof Purlins - VISION auto generation and design is not available requiring manual
selection and manual design checks.

C. Nested Section Analysis and Design

The design of compound sections utilizes those forces (moment and shear) derived from
matrix stiffness analysis methods incorporated in the design of simple and continuous
secondary members.

Member design is in accordance with the AISI Specification and those design provisions found
in DP 4.1. Member flexural strength (resistance) is based on nested section properties found in
DP 20.1.7 and shear based on additive properties found in DP 4.1.DA. In summary:

C1. Flexural Strength [Resistance]

M M n (nested) b (ASD), b M n (nested) (LRFD, LSD)

where :
M member applied moment, k in.

M n(nested) nested section nominal moment strength, k in.

R Sxe (nested) Fy
R reduction factor for main Z member (ref. DP 4.1)

Sxe(nested) nested section effective section modolus, in.3 (ref. DP 20.1.7)

I xe (Z) I xe (C)
, in. 3
I xe (Z) / Sxe (Z)

I xe(Z) Z main member effective moment of inertia, in. 4

I xe(C) C reinf. member effective moment of inertia, in. 4
Sxe(Z) Z main member effective section modolus, in.3

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C2. Shear Strength [Resistance]

V Vn (nested) v (ASD), v Vn (nested) (LRFD, LSD)

where :
V member applied shear, k
Vn (nested) nested section nominal shear strength, k
Vn (nested) Vn (Z) Vn (C) (ref. DP 4.2 for individual properties)

C3. Force Transfer via Fastener

The applied moment to the nested section, M is assumed to be distributed between the main
member (M Z) and the reinforcing member (M C) proportionally based on individual element
stiffness. This moment redistribution may be approximated as follows:

I xe ( Z ) I xe (C )
MZ M, k in. and MC M, k in.
I xe ( Z ) I xe (C ) I xe ( Z ) I xe (C )

The above analysis will yield results very close to exact stiffness methods used in RISA 3D modeling and
are deemed sufficiently accurate.

The moment redistribution to the reinforcing member, MC-reinf., is via shear transfer through the
self-drilling fastener intermediate connections and can be expressed as follows:
Pfast. Pfast.
MC Main Z
Pfast. (fastener force) , k
a fast.
X X
VC (shear force) Pfast. , k Reinf. C

where :
afast.
a fast. fastener spacing, in. VC
L/3 simple girt (outset),
(L 48" )/3 simple girt (inset), MC.
(L 24" )/3 continuous girt

Studies have shown that the fastener strength (resistance) for (2) -14 fasteners and the shear strength
of the reinforcing C-member is not a design limit state.

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D. Design and Detailing Process

D.1. Simple Girts Simple nested girt design and detaining in VISION is fully automated.
Shear and bending strength (resistance) are checked using the nested properties.

The design limit states of shear and combined bending and shear within the un-reinforced
areas between the supports and the end of the reinforcement (inset girts) do not govern. See
DP 4.8.EX.

D.2. Continuous Girts Nesting of continuous girts is a manual member selection process.
Once selected, proper detailing of the nested sections will be generated, however, additional
design checks are required as follows:

If design limit states shear, bending, or combinations govern at the support location,
nested girts will not help. Proceed with other solutions.

Positive bending between inflection points nested section

Deflection (if required) nested section

Due to the short distance (1-0, inset girts) between support and the end of the reinforcement
C, the design limit states of shear and combined bending and shear within the un-reinforced
areas will not govern. Likewise, combined bending and shear within the reinforced area, at the
end of the lap will not control due to the additional member.

Document and Revision History

REV. # DATE NAME DESCRIPTION
0 10/09 Bob Hodges Original Document
na 8/2011 Al Harrold Remove year identification from AISI references.

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