Structural Systems

Chapter 3 – Structural Systems

DISCLAIMER: This is the summary for Chapter 3 because the day that Chapter 3 was do, I messed up and did Chapter 5 and 6.

This chapter discussed Structural Systems, and while it was made clear that interior designers have no part in the structural makeup of a building, it is still important for them to understand. This chapter identifies a building’s basic structural elements and how the building structure works as a system. It also compares the roles of an interior designer and an architect when it comes to building structures, as well as the structural frames, stud wall systems, and bearing walls.

Purpose of Structural Systems and Structural Basics

The overall purpose of any structural system is to carry all the loads in the building to the foundation and from there, to the ground. There are three primary types of structural systems: bearing wall, structural frame, and stud wall systems. These are also made from three basic materials that include wood, concrete/masonry, and steel. A bearing wall relies on the whole wall to carry all the loads to the foundation. A stud wall relies on multiple small members that carry loads to a sole plate horizontally placed to distribute the weight to a sill plate, whereas a structural frame which is composed of beams and columns that transfer loads to the foundation. In addition, there are four characteristics of a structural system: stability, strength and stiffness, aesthetics, and economy. Stability describes all the forces acting on a building to equal zero. Strength is based on the materials used within the building and stiffness contributes to the strength and refers to the degree to which the material can deflect. Economy is the applied use of the material, the cost, and time it takes to build the actual structure. Finally, aesthetics relates to the conceptual design approach.

In addition to various structural systems, there are multiple different loads that act upon
a building. These include dead loads, live loads, uniform loads, static loads, concentrated loads, and dynamic loads. These loads all relate to different outside elements acting on the building, but also put the building under stress. The four types of stress are tension, compression, shear, and bending. Different systems work to in different types of stress. Compression is seen in post-and-beam system, which also shows shear and bending. Trusses rely on triangulation to support loads and can be made of either wood or steel. Some of these members are in tension and others are in compression.

Systems in Use Today and Sustainable Materials

Today we use some similar materials and other different materials, for example, balloon framing was replaced with platform framing. Platform framing is when each floor-level platform supports the walls for that specific floor. This type of system can be used in both residential and smaller commercial buildings. However, it is important to note that if you are to use wood, FSC is highly recommended because it comes from a sustainably managed forest. As for steel, both light gauge and structural steel, these structures consist of a column and beam, but a light gauge steel system incorporates metal studs and metal joists. Masonry systems consist of a unit member joined wit mortar including brick, stone, terracotta, and glass. A newer development, wool brick, was developed using wood and a naturally occurring seaweed plymer and combining it to brick clay.