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Steel Building Terminology

Get acquainted with Steel Building Glossary
December 30, 2021 by

Steel Building Glossary

A quick search into the Steel Building dictionary. Learn the terms used to describe your building. Expand you knowledge by using the right terminology.

ACCESSORY
A supplementary building product supplied with a Dalal Building such as a door, window, ventilator, skylight, etc.

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ALUMINIZED STEEL 
Aluminum coated steel, usually utilized for roof and wall sheets.
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ANCHOR BOLTS 
Bolts used to anchor structural members to a concrete floor, foundation or other masonry support. Term generally refers to bolts that secure columns and jambs to the concrete slabs. (DALAL does not furnish anchor bolts.)

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ANCHOR BOLT PLAN 
A plan of the foundation showing all dimensions and sections required to properly locate and set all anchor bolts, including projection above concrete, recesses, etc. – supplied with all DALAL buildings.
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APPROVAL DRAWING 
A drawing showing view and/or elevations of the finished building for the purpose of showing the general exterior and interior appearance and floor plan of the proposed building. (An architect usually prepares these drawings.)

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AUTOMATIC WELDING 
An automated welding operation producing a continuous, unbroken weld.

BAR JOIST
Open-web load-carrying members fabricated from steel bars and angles, used as horizontal structural members suitable for the support of room decks or floors. When utilized by DALAL as purlins, screw down panels may not be used.
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BASE ANGLE
A continuous angle secured to the foundation perimeter to support wall panels.
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BASE CHANNEL
A “C” section secured at the foundation to support wall panels as an alternate to base angle.
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BASE GIRT
A “C” or “Z” girt mounted 6” above the finished floor to support the wall panels; may be used as an alternate to a base angle.

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BASE PLATE

A shop-welded, pre-punched plate on that portion of a structural column that rests on the concrete foundation and is secured by anchor bolts.
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BASE TRIM

Light gauge painted steel or aluminum trim used to close off the base of the wall panels.
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BAY (END)

The distance between the centerline of the first interior frame and the outside of the Endwall structure.

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BAY (INTERIOR)

The space between frame centerlines in the lengthwise direction of the building.
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BEAM

A structural member subject to bending loads. Usually a horizontal member carrying vertical loads.
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BEAM AND COLUMN

A DALAL main frame system consisting of rafter beams supported by sidewall columns and one or more interior columns.
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BEARING FRAME ENDWALL

Frame composed of corner columns, end columns, flush or by-pass girts and rafter beams, designed to carry one-half of the end bay loads. Also referred to as “light Endwall” or “post and beam” Endwall.
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BENDING MOMENT

The tendency of an applied load or series of loads, acting at right angles to a structural member, to cause the member to bend and the ability of that me.
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BILL OF MATERIAL

A list of building components used for fabrication, shipping, receiving, and accounting purposes. Sometimes referred to as the “shipper”.
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BLIND RIVET

A small headed pin with expandable shank for joining light gauge metal such as flashing, gutter, etc.; NOTE: POP RIVET is a registered trade name.
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BRACE CABLES

Cables used as the primary bracing method for the roof and sidewalls of DALAL buildings; these cables transfer wind and seismic forces to the foundation.
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BRACE RODS

Rods used on roof and sidewalls of some DALAL buildings to transfer wind, seismic, and lateral crane forces to the foundation.
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BRACKET

A structural support projecting from a column or rafter for support of another structural member or accessory such as a crane runway beam.
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BRIDGE CRANE

A material handling system within a building consisting of a hoist which moves laterally on a beam or bridge which, in turn, moves longitudinally on a runway made of beams and rails. Loads can be moved to any point within the area bounded by the bridge span and runway beams.
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BRIDGING

Bracing used between structural members to provide weak axis stability. Usually used with bar joists.
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BUILDING CODE

Regulations established by a recognized agency describing design loads, construction details, and procedures for structures. Codes apply to a specific geographical area such as a city, county or state.
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BUILT-UP ROOFING

A roof composed of multiple layers of tarpaper or felt, each layer set by a mopping of hot tar or asphalt.
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BUILT-UP SECTION

A structural member, usually an “I” shape, made from individual web and flange flat plates by welding them together.
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BUTT PLATE

The pre-punched end plate of a structural member that usually rests against a matching plate of another member forming a bolted connection.
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BY-FRAMED GIRTS

Girts that overlap at outside column flange to form a continuous member.

“C” SECTION

A member cold formed from steel coil in the shape of a “C”, used primarily in bearing frame Endwalls and framed openings
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CANOPY

Any overhanging or projecting structure with its extreme end unsupported.
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CANTILEVER

A projecting beam that is supported and restrained at one end only.

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CHANNEL

An open-ended “C” shape with no return lips; may be either cold-formed or hot-rolled.
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CIRCULAR VENT
See VENTILATOR.
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CLEAR SPAN
The distance or clear and unobstructed opening between two supports of a beam; when used with a rigid frame, this is generally less than the nominal building width.
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CLIP
A plate or angle used to fasten two or more members together.
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CLIP ANGLE
An angle used for fastening various members together.
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CLOSER
A mechanical device which closes a door yet prevents it from closing with excessive force.
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CLOSURE STRIP
Resilient material formed to match either inside or outside wall or roof panel configuration, used at base, eave, rake or accessory locations to provide closure against the elements. (Also called “filler strip”.)
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COLD-FORMED
Various shapes such as angles, channels, girts, and purlins formed by press brakes or rolling mills from strip or sheet at normal room temperature.
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COLLATERAL LOADS
A load in addition to normal dead loads. All specified additional dead loads other than the metal building framing; examples are mechanical, electrical or sprinkler systems, ceilings, partitions, etc
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COLUMN
A primary structural member used in a vertical position to transfer loads from roof beams, trusses or rafters to the foundation.
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COMBINATION BASE TRIM
An option to the standard base angle that combines the base angle and base trim into one piece.
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COMPOSITE SECTION\PARAGRAPH: STRUCTURAL MEMBERS MADE UP OF DISSIMILAR MATERIALS ACTING IN UNISON. USUALLY CONSISTS OF STEEL BEAMS AND CONCRETE DECK.
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COMPRESSION
Forces acting on a member which tend to shorten it. A pressure or force that tends to decrease the size of the member being compressed, such as the downward force on a column.
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COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH
Relative ability of the substance (such as steel) to withstand the forces of compressive loads, generally expressed in pounds per square inch (psi).
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CONCENTRATED LOAD
A load applied to a structural element at one point rather than uniformly across a span, such as a heater unit hung from a rafter.
A girt or purlin that overlaps at columns or frames to form a continuous member.

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CONTINUOUS RIDGE VENT
A series of 10’ roof ventilators located along the roof ridge.
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CORNER COLUMN
A “C” channel or “I” section located at the corner of a bearing frame Endwall, or a primary frame column at a main end frame.
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CORNER TRIM
Preformed color sheet metal trim used to close the junction of side and Endwall sheets.
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CRANE RAIL
Track upon which a top running crane moves (usually hot-rolled A.S.C.E. rails).

DAMPER

The raised edge on a concrete floor slab. See also ROOF CURB. A baffle used to open or close the throat of ventilators.
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DEAD LOAD

The weight of all permanent construction, such as roof, framing and covering members plus any collateral loads.

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DEFLECTION
The displacement of a structural member under load, measured from its no-load position.

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DESIGN-BUILD CONSTRUCTION

The involvement of the contractor and building supplier in the early planning stage of the construction project.

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DESIGN CODE (DESIGN STANDARD)

The building code used in a particular area to govern building design.

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DESIGN LOADS
Loads specified by DALAL to be used in the design of a building, to accommodate the building weight and other forces for which the building is to be designed.

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DIAPHRAGM ACTION
The resistance to raking, caused by longitudinal forces, which is provided by roof and wall panels.

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DOWNSPOUT
A hollow, rectangular, square or round tubular section used to carry water from the gutter of a building to the ground or sewer.

EAVE

The line along the top of the sidewall, formed by the intersection of roof and wall panels.

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EAVE CANOPY

A roof extension beyond the sidewall of a building.

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EAVE FASCIA

Trim used to close off the top of sidewall panels in lieu of eave gutter or eave trim.

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EAVE HEIGHT

The vertical dimension from finished floor to top of eave strut.

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EAVE STRUT

A cold formed structural member at the eave to support roof and wall panels; also transmits forces due to wind on Endwall from roof bracing to wall bracing.

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ENDLAP

A term used to describe the lap condition occurring at the end of panels or sheeting.

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ENDWALL

A term used to describe the entire composition of a building end.

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ERECTION

The assembling of pre-engineered components to form a complete structure.

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ERECTION DRAWING

Drawings showing the roof framing plan, wall framing plan, Endwall framing, cross section, and other parts of the building.

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EXPANSION JOINT
A break of space in construction to allow for thermal expansion and contraction.

FAÇADE

An accessory whose function is to enhance the appearance of a building and cover the eave and/or gable of the building.

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FASCIA

Decorative trim or panel projection from the face of a wall.

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FIBERGLASS

A flexible, non-flammable, moisture and rot-proof material made of glass spun into filaments; widely used in blanket form faced with a vapor retardant material for building insulation. Fiberglass in sheet form is also used in other products such as translucent panels.


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FINISHED FLOOR

Top of the concrete slab or the finished concrete surface.


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FIXED BASE


A vertical structural member, bolted to and positioned at 90° to a sidewall column to provide additional base fastening and to prevent column base rotation or racking due to longitudinal wind force. Usually installed as a substitute for “X” bracing.

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FLANGE

The projecting edge of a structural member.


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FLANGE BRACE


A brace from flange of column or rafter to girt or purlin to provide lateral support and stability.

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FLASHING

A sheet metal closure to insure weather tightness.


Loads imposed upon a floor system, the magnitude of which is determined by the use and occupancy of the space.

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FOOTING

A pad or mat, usually concrete, located under a column, wall or other structural member, used to distribute loads from the member into the supporting soil.
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FORCE
The action of one body on another body which changes or tends to change its state of rest or motion. A force may be expressed in pounds, kips, or other similar units and may act in any one of the following ways: Compression – Shear
Tension – Torsion

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FOUNDATION

The substructure on which a building rests.
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FRAME
Primary structural members, made up of columns and rafters, which support the secondary framing of girts and purlins.

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FRAME DRIFT

Horizontal displacement at the top of the columns due to lateral loads.

GABLE

The triangular portion of the Endwall of a building, directly under the sloping roof and above the eave line.

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GABLE ANGLE

See RAKE ANGLE.

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GABLE FLASHING


See RAKE TRIM.

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GABLED ROOF

A ridged roof that terminates in gables.

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GAGE OR GAUGE

The numerical designation for the thickness of sheet metal. Also refers to the distance between holes.

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GALVALUME

Trade name of BIEC (formerly Bethlehem Steel) for zinc-aluminum alloy coated steel.

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GALVANIZED

Steel coated with zinc for corrosion resistance.

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GALVANIC ACTION

An electrochemical reaction between dissimilar metals (such as steel and aluminum) in the presence of moisture.

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GIRDER

A main horizontal or near horizontal structural member that supports vertical loads.
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GIRT

A secondary horizontal structural member attached to sidewall or end-wall columns to which wall covering is attached and supported horizontally; usually a cold-formed ”Z” shape.

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GLAZING

The process of installing glass in window or door openings.

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GRADE


The terms used to refer to the ground elevation around a building.

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GRADE BEAM

A concrete beam around the perimeter of a building carrying an exterior wall.
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GROUT

A mixture of cement, sand, and water used to fill cracks and cavities. Sometimes used under base plates or leveling plates to obtain uniform bearing surfaces.

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GUTTER

A light gauge channel member installed at the eave, valley or parapet for the purpose of carrying water from the roof to the drains or downspouts.

“H” SECTION

A steel member with an “H” profile.

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HAUNCH

The deepened portion of a column or rafter designed to accommodate the high stress where column and rafter intersect and connect.

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HEADER

A horizontal structural member over a door opening, window or other framed opening.

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HIGH STRENGTH BOLTS

Any bolt made from steel having a tensile strength in excess of 100,000 pounds per square inch (psi). Some examples are ASTM A-325 and A-490.

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HOLES IN PLATES

Pitch = distance between holes along longitudinal axis of plate. Gauge = distance between holes along transverse axis of plate. Edge distance = distance from center of hole to edge of plate.

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HOIST
A mechanical lifting devise attached to a trolley that travels along a bridge, monorail or jib crane. May be chain or electric operated.

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HORIZONTAL THRUST

A lateral load in the horizontal plane. Always present at the base of a loaded rigid frame or arch. The tendency of a rigid frame column to “kick outward” at its base.

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HOT-ROLLED SHAPES

Steel sections (angles, channels, I-beams, etc.) Formed by rolling mills while the steel is in a semi-molten state.

 

IMPACT LOAD

The assumed load resulting from the motion of machinery, elevators, crane ways, vehicles and other similar dynamic forces such as the starting and stopping of an overhead crane or hoist.

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INNER LINER

See LINER PANEL.


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INSIDE CORNER TRIM

 
Trim used to finish out inside corners.

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INSULATION

Any material used in building construction for the reduction of thermal transfer, or in some cases for reduction of fire hazard.

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INTERMEDIATE BAY

The distance between two interior main frames within a building, other than end frames.

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INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE (IBC)

A new code developed through the joint efforts of the groups that publish the Standard Building Code, the BOCA Building Code, and the Uniform Building Code. The IBC was first published in 2000. The three model code organizations are now going through a process to merge into a single group called the International Code Council (ICC) The ICC will push for the adoption of the IBC nationwide without amendments.

 


 

KNOCKED DOWN

Unassembled building components shipped to the jobsite ready for erection assembly.

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KRII

DALALRibII, DALAL’s standard roof and wall panels with purlin bearing leg.

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LATERAL STABILITY

Quality of a structural member that prevents it from twisting or rotating under load. Usually accomplished by bracing the member with secondary framing ties or struts.

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LATERAL SUPPORT

The means whereby walls are braced either vertically or horizontally by columns, pilasters, cross walls, or by floor or roof constructions.

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LEAN-TO


A structure having only one slope or pitch and depending on another structure for partial support.

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LEVELING PLATE

A square or rectangular steel plate fabricated with pre-punched holes that match the anchor bolt plan. This plate is used to establish a column base elevation prior to setting columns where a grouted column base is required.


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LINER PANEL


Sheeting (usually DALALRib) applied to the interior face of the girts as an interior building finish; may be either full or partial height. May also be used on the interior face of the purlins as a roof liner.

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LIVE LOAD

The non-permanent load to which a structure is subjected to in addition to its own weight. Live load includes loads induced by the use and occupancy of the building, the weight of persons occupying the building, and freestanding materials, but does not include snow loads, wind loads, seismic loads or dead loads. See ROOF or FLOOR LIVE LOAD.

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LOADS

Anything that causes an external force to be exerted on a structural member. Examples are dead loads, impact load, crane load, roof live load, seismic load, and wind load.

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LOAD BEARING WALLS

Any wall bearing its own weight as well as other weight (such as a roof) and wind load.

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LOAD COMBINATIONS

The various loads such as wind, live, crane etc. that are to be applied in structural design as occurring on the structure at any one time.

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LONGITUDINAL

Pertaining to longitude or length, running lengthwise. The longitudinal strength of a structural system is its resistance to forces coming from the end in a lengthwise direction (i.e. wind force). The bracing system, including diaphragm action, provides most of the longitudinal strength of a building.

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LOUVER

An opening provided with fixed or adjustable blades to allow airflow.

  

MAIN OR PRIMARY FRAMING

Steel frames which support secondary framing members such as girts, purlins or eave struts.

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MESH

Welded wire mesh generally used to reinforce concrete floors.

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MEZZANINE

A second floor above the ground floor. An intermediate level between floor and ceiling, occupying a portion of the floor space.

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MONORAIL

A single rail supported material handling system. Normally utilizes a hot-rolled “I” beam and a simple hoist.

 


 


PANEL

Ribbed configuration metal sheets used for roof and wall covering.

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PANEL LINE


The extreme outer edge of panels attached to a building.

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PARTITION


A non-load bearing interior wall that sustains its own weight but does not support roof or ceiling and does not withstand wind loads.

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PEAK


The highest point on the roof of the building where the two roof slopes meet.

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PINNED BASE


A column base that is designed to resist horizontal and vertical movement, but not rotation.

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PIPE COLUMN


A vertical structure support member made of pipe. Normally used as an interior support column in beam and column buildings.

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PITCH


To incline or slope. The inclination of a roof, usually stated in terms of vertical rise compared to horizontal width (i.e. 1:12 refers to one foot of vertical rise for every twelve feet of horizontal building width).

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PORTAL FRAME


A rigid frame structure designed to offer rigidity and stability in its plane. It is used to resist longitudinal loads where diagonal rod or cable bracing is not permitted.

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PREPAINTED COIL

Coil steel that receives a paint coating prior to the forming operation.

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PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE


Concrete in which the reinforcing cables, wires or rods in the concrete are tensioned before there is load on the member, holding the concrete in compression for greater strength.

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PRESS BRAKE

A machine used in cold forming metal sheet or strip into desired shapes.

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PRIMARY FRAMING


The main load carrying member of a structural system, generally the columns and rafters or other main support members.

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PRIMER PAINT

Initial coat of paint applied at factory to structural framing for protection against elements during shipping and erection only.

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PURLIN

A secondary, cold-formed horizontal structural member located in the roof to support sheeting, that is itself supported by the rafters. Purlins in DALAL buildings overlap at frames to form a continuous design.

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PURLIN BRACE ANGLE

See SAG ROD.

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PURLIN EXTENSION CANOPY


A cantilevered continuation of the roof at rake line.

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PURLIN LINE


The extreme outer, or exterior edge of the purlins.


 

RAFTER


A fabricated roof-framing member that supports the roof secondary framing members.

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RAKE


The intersection of the roof and Endwall planes.

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REACTIONS


Forces required to resist the loads from a structure.

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REINFORCING STEEL


The steel placed in concrete to help carry the tension, compression, and shear stresses.

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RIDGE


Highest point on the roof of a building that causes a horizontal line running the length of the building.

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RIDGE CAP


Metal panels used at the ridge to transition between the roof slopes. Also know as ridge roll or ridge flashing. See PEAK PANEL.

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RIDGE VENT


Circular or continuous vent placed at the ridge to produce air movement through the building. See CONTINUOUS VENT.

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RIGID CONNECTION


A joint capable of transmitting moment to another member of the system.

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RIGID FRAME

A structural frame consisting of tapered rafters and columns joined together with rigid connections which render the frame stable with respect to the design loads, without need for bracing in its plane. (Usually a clear span frame with no interior support columns.)

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ROLLFORMING MACHINE


A machine used in the fabricating process to produce cold formed parts. Usually used to produce “C” and “Z” sections, etc. from coil steel stock.

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ROLLING DOORS

Doors that are supported on wheels and run on a track.

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ROOF COVERING


The exposed exterior roof skin consisting of panels or sheets.

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ROOF CURB

An accessory used to mount and level units (such as air conditioning and exhaust fans) on the sloped portion of the building roof.

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ROOF JACK

An accessory used to flash around and cover pipes or stacks (such as sewer or furnace ventilation pipes) that penetrate the roof.

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ROOF LIVE LOAD

Those loads induced 1) during maintenance by workers, equipment, and materials, and 2) during the life of the structure by movable objects, not including wind load, snow load, seismic load, or dead load.

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ROOF OVERHANG


A roof extension beyond the Endwall or sidewall of a building.

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ROOF SLOPE (PITCH)


Slope of a roof plane expressed as a ratio of vertical rise per unit of horizontal run.

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ROOF SNOW LOAD

LOAD INDUCED BY THE WEIGHT OF SNOW ON THE ROOF OF THE STRUCTURE.  

 

SAG ROD OR ANGLE

Tie rods or angles located between the webs of girts or purlins to provide lateral web stability and to limit the deflection of the girt or purlin in the direction of the weak axis. Also known as a purlin brace.

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SAG STRAP


A metal strap used to hold purlins or girts in alignment.

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SANDWICH PANEL


A panel assembly used as a covering consisting of an insulating core material with inner and outer skins.

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SEALANT

Any material used to close up cracks or joints to protect against leaks.

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SECONDARY FRAMING


Framing members that transmit loads to the main framing. Secondary framing members are purlins, girts, eave struts, etc.

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SECTION MODULUS


A physical property of a structural member. It is used to design and basically describe the bending strength of a member.

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SEISMIC LOAD


The assumed lateral load acting in any horizontal direction on a structural system due to the action of an earthquake.

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SELF-DRILLING SCREW


A fastener that drills and taps its own hole. Used as a fastener for attaching panels to purlins and girts.

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SELF-TAPPING SCREW

A fastener that taps its own threads in a predrilled hole. Used for attaching panels to purlins and girts, for stitching panel sidelaps, and for trim and flashing.

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SHEAR

The force tending to make two contacting parts slide upon each other in opposite directions parallel to their place of contact.

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SHEAR STRENGTH

The ability of a structural element to withstand loads or forces perpendicular to its principal axis.

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SHEET GROOVE OR NOTCH

A notch or block-out formed along the outside edge of the foundation to provide support for the wall panels and serve as a closer along their bottom edge.

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SHEETING ANGLE

An angle used for securing sheeting.

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SIDELAP

The overlap portion of two parallel panels.

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SIDEWALL

A term used to describe the entire composition of a building side. The exterior wall parallel to the ridgeline of the building.

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SIMPLE BEAM


A beam without restraint or continuity at its support.

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SIMPLE SPAN


A term used in structural analysis to describe a support condition for a beam, girt, purlin, etc., which offers no resistance to rotation at the supports.

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SINGLE SLOPE


A sloping roof in one plane. The slope is from one sidewall to the opposite sidewall.

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SINGLE SPAN

A building or structural member without intermediate support.

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SIPHON BREAK

A small groove to arrest the capillary action of two adjacent surfaces (anti-capillary groove).

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SKYLIGHT

A roof accessory to admit light, normally mounted on a curbed framed opening. See TRANSLUCENT PANELS.

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SLAB

A flat molded layer of reinforced or plain concrete, usually of uniform thickness. Generally used as a floor in most buildings.

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SLIDE DOOR

A single or double leaf door that opens horizontally by means of overhead trolleys or bottom rollers.


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SLIDING CLIP

A clip used to attach a raised or standing seam roof to purlins, designed to allow the roof to expand and contract independently of the structural system.

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SNOW LOAD

See ROOF SNOW LOAD and GROUND SNOW LOAD.

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SPACESAVER

DALAL’s straight sidewall, slope beam rafter building. Girts are flush-framed.

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SPAN

Width of building inside to inside of wall panels (sidewall to sidewall).

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SPECIFICATIONS

A statement of particulars of a given job as to size of buildings, quality and performance of men and materials to be used, and terms of the contract, etc.
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SPUD WRENCH


A tool used by erectors to line up holes and make up bolted connections; a wrench with a tapered handle.


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STAINLESS STEEL


An alloy of steel that contains a high percentage of chromium. Also contains copper, nickel and other substances. Has excellent resistance to corrosion.

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STANDING SEAM ROOF

An exposed metal roof system designed in such a way that panel side laps are joined in a waterproof fashion above the flat of the panel without the use of through fasteners.

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STEEL LINE


The extreme outer limits of a building’s structural framing system to which sheets are attached.

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STIFFENER


A member used to strengthen a plate against lateral or local buckling. Usually a bar welded perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the member. Large concentrated loads such as crane loads usually require stiffeners at the point of connection.
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STIFFENER LIP


A short extension of material at an angle to the flange of cold-formed structural members that adds strength to the member

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STILES


The vertical side members of framed and paneled doors.

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STITCH SCREW

A self-tapping screw used to connect panels together at the side cap.

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STRAIN


Change in length per unit length. The deformation of a body which is acted upon by external force.
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STRESS


A measure of the load on a structural member in terms of force per unit area (kips per square inch). That internal force required to hold a body in equilibrium when acted upon by external forces.

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STRUTT

A support piece; an inside brace fitted into a framework that resists axial forces.

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STUD


A vertical wall member to which external or interior covering or collateral material may be attached. May be either load bearing or non-load bearing.

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SWING DOOR

See WALK DOOR.
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SUCTION


Partial vacuum resulting from wind loads on a building causing a load in the outward direction.

TAPERED MEMBER


A built-up plate member consisting of flanges welded to a variable depth web.

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TEMPLATE


A pattern made from wood or metal; used as a guide in shaping something or checking the accuracy of work (e.g., a template is used to set and align anchor bolts).

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TENSILE STRENGTH


The longitudinal pulling stress a material can bear without tearing apart, usually expressed in pounds per square inch (psi).

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TENSION


Stress in a structural member created by forces tending to draw it apart longitudinally.

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THERMAL BLOCK

A spacer of low thermal conductance material.
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THERMAL FACTOR

A factor required for the calculation of roof snow loads. The value of this factor is given below.

· All structures except as indicated below.

· Structures kept just above freezing and others with cold, ventilated roofs in which the R-value between the ventilated space and the heated space exceeds 25° F · h · ft 2/Btu.
· Unheated structures and structures intentionally kept below freezing.

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THERMAL RESISTANCE (“R”)


Resistance to heat flow. The reciprocal of conductance (“C”).

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THERMAL TRANSMITTANCE (“U”)


The rate of heat flow per square foot under steady conditions from the air on the warm side of a barrier to the air on the cold side, for 1° F of temperature difference between the two.

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THRESHOLD

An aluminum extrusion kick plate that spans from jamb to jamb beneath a personnel walk door leaf.

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THRUST


A horizontal force tending to push a structural member outward or sideways.

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TIE

A structural member binding two bodies together which have a tendency to separate or diverge from each other.

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TOLERANCE


A fractional allowance for variations from the specified standards of construction or fabrication.

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TONGUE AND GROOVE

A projected edge of a panel inserted into a corresponding groove of another panel, thus forming a tongue and groove joint.

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TOP RUNNING CRANE


A crane that runs on top of a crane mounted to a crane runway beam.
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TORQUE

The twisting force exerted by or on a shaft without reference to the speed of the shaft.

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TORQUE WRENCH


A wrench containing an adjustable mechanism for measuring and controlling the amount of torque or turning force to be exerted – often used to tighten nuts on high strength bolts.

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TORSION


Force acting on a body which tends to rotate or twist the body.

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TRANSLATION


Motion in which all points of a moving body have, at any instant, the same velocity and direction of motion.

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TRANSLUCENT PANELS

Panels used to admit light. Usually formed in the shape of a roof or wall panel, and made from a fiberglass reinforced plastic.

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TRANSVERSE

The direction perpendicular to the ridge of a building.

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TRANSVERSE EXPANSION JOINT

A joint across the width of a building to allow small relative movements, such as those caused by temperature change in the building length.

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TRIM


Light gauge metal used in the finish of a building, especially around openings and at intersection of surfaces.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRUSS
A structure made up of three or more members with each member designed to carry a tension or compression force. The entire structure, in turn, acts as a beam.

UNIT STRESS

Stress per unit area.

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UNIFORM LOAD

Loads that cover all or part of a beam, and throughout the portion covered, the amount of load per unit is the same.

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UNSUPPORTED COLUMN

The condition that exists when a column has no lateral support. A column is unsupported when there are no braces,
girts, masonry, etc. attached to the flanges.

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UPLIFT

Wind load on a building that causes a load in the upward direction.



VENTILATOR

An accessory usually installed in the roof that allows air to pass through. Ventilators can be round, square or rectangular. 

WALK DOOR

An accessory that provides an entrance to the building interior. Walk doors are normally man size and swing on hinges.

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WALL BEARING

Wall capable of supporting a structural system.

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WALL COVERING

The exterior wall skin consisting of panels (or sheets) and their attachments, trim and weather sealants.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WALL PANEL

Standard panel used on exterior walls and facades.


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WEB


The part of a channel, purlin, girt, column, or rafter between the flanges.

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WEB MEMBERS

Secondary structural members interposed between the top and bottom cords of a truss.

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WIND BRACING

Cables, rods or other structural members used in roof and walls to transfer wind loads, seismic loads, etc., to the foundation.

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WIND BENT

See PORTAL FRAME.

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WIND COLUMN

A vertical column supporting a wall system designed to withstand horizontal wind loads.


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WIND LOAD


A load representing the pressure exerted on a structure by a given wind velocity. A load caused by the wind blowing from any horizontal direction.


 

“X” BRACING

See WIND BRACING


 

“Z” SECTION

A girt or purlin; a member cold-formed from steel coil in the shape of a block “Z” with stiffener lips.

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ZINC-ALUMINUM COATED

Steel coated with an alloy of zinc and aluminum to provide corrosion resistance.
Understand Your Steel Building
What are different design criteria for Steel Buildings