Principles of Steel
Design
DESIGN OF PURLINS
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Analyze the structural behavior of purlins under bi-axial bending,
considering load distribution, deflection, and stress variations in
different support conditions.
2. Evaluate the effects of wind and seismic forces on purlin
performance, including uplift, lateral displacement, and dynamic
response, in compliance with engineering standards (NSCP 2015, AISC).
3. Synthesize structural design strategies to develop efficient, stable,
and code-compliant purlin systems, integrating bracing, load paths, and
material selection for improved resilience.
4. Demonstrate proficiency in designing purlin systems by performing
manual calculations.
5. Advocate for resilient and sustainable purlin design practices by
ensuring structural safety, efficiency, and long-term durability,
addressing potential risks due to wind uplift, seismic loads, and
environmental factors.
OBJECTIVES:
PURLINS
Purlins are horizontal structural members, often made of
steel or wood, used to support roof structures. They are
crucial for distributing load and providing stability to the roof
deck, particularly in metal buildings but also in wood-frame
structures.
PURLINS
3
4
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2
PURLINS
MAIN BEAMS
PURLINS
PURLINS
PURLINS
PURLINS
PURLINS
PURLINS
PURLINS
PURLINS
PURLINS
Different purlins are used for different
purposes, including structural support of
walls or floors. Purlin is important because
without it, there’s no frame for sheeting on
the roof to rest on, making purlins critical to
the structure of the roof
TYPES OF PURLINS
Wood purlin ensures
that the room below is
breathable and can safely
store whatever you need to be
kept safe in the room, from
livestock to grain or other
organic materials.
However, being made from
wood, purlins can rot.
Moreover, the moisture can
add significantly to the weight
leading to sag.
TYPES OF PURLINS
Steel Purlins is a direct
replacement for wood purlin.
They are light weight,
dimensionally stable, accurate
and straight. They expand and
contract reasonably in
extreme temperature changes.
Purlins are manufactured from
hot dipped galvanized steel
with coating, in line with other
common lightweight steel
structural building products.
PURLIN SECTION
DESIGN LOADS
DEAD LOAD – the dead load on the roof
is the weght of the roof structure itself,
along with any permanently attached
materials or structures on the roof, so it
must be designed, first of all, to support
itself.
LIVE LOAD – live load on the roof is the
weight of any temporary objects on the
roof. The live load can come from people
working on the roof and any equipment
they take on the roof with them.
WIND LOAD – when wind hits the
exterior wall of a building, the wind’s
energy dispenses upward and downward
along the wall.
Design loads
SAGRODS
SAGRODS
Bending stresses
Interaction Value
Sample Problem 01:
SITUATION 1. Light gage cold – formed steel channels used as purlins are simply
supported on roof trusses 6m apart. Purlin has a spacing of 1.2m on centers.
Given:
Roof slope: 1V : 4H
Dead load (purlin weight included) = 720Pa
Live load = 1000Pa
Wind load = 1440Pa
Wind pressure coefficients:
At windward side, Pressure = 0.18 At leeward side, Suction = 0.60
Properties of C Purlins:
C 200mmx 76mm
Sx = 6.19x104 mm3
Sy = 1.38x104 mm3
Assume that all loads pass through the centroid of the C section.
1.Determine the bending stress fbx for D + L.
2.Determine the bending stress fby for D + L.
3.Determine the bending stress fbx for D + L + W in the windward side.
Sample Problem 02:
SITUATION 2. Light-grade steel channel was used as a purlin of a truss. The top chord
of the truss is inclined 1V:4H and distance between trusses is equal to 3m. The purlin
has a weight of 80 N/m and spaced at 1.2m on centers. The dead load including the
roof materials is 1200 Pa, live load of 1100 Pa and wind load of 1500 Pa. Coefficient of
pressure at leeward and windward are 0.2 and 0.5 respectively. Sag rods are placed
at the middle thirds.
Fbx = Fby = 138 MPa
Sx = 4.50 x 104 mm3
Sy = 1.20 x 104 mm3
Using the interaction formula, determine the following:
1.Maximum ratio of actual to allowable bending stress for combination of (D + L)
load.
2.Maximum ratio of actual to allowable bending stress for combination of
0.75(D+L+W).
3.Maximum ratio of actual to allowable bending stress for combination of (D + L)
if one line of sag rod was placed at the mid-span.
Sample Problem 03:
SITUATION 3. Light gage cold- formed steel channels used as purlins are simply
supported on roof trusses 6 m apart. Sagrods are provided at midspan.
Given:
Roof Slope = 1V: 4H
Dead Load (purlin weight included), D = 720 Pa Live Load, L = 1000 Pa
Wind Pressure, W = 1440 Pa
Wind Pressure Coefficients
At Windward Side, Pressure = 0.18 At Leeward Side, Suction = 0.60
Properties of C Purlins:
C200X76
Sx = 6.19 x 104 mm3
Sy = 1.38 x 104 mm3
Fbx = Fby = 207 MPa
Assume that all loads pass through the centroid of the C section. For D + L + W, a one third increase in
allowable stresses is allowed.
1.What is the safe purlin spacing (m) due to D + L?
2.What is the maximum spacing of purlins (m) due to loads, D, L and W at the leeward side?
3.How much is the safe spacing of purlins (m) due to loads D + L + W at the windward side?
