Skip to main content

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.

Comments

  1. Delia T.October 21, 2023 at 10:00 AM

    Good job Susie! I like the disclaimer ahaha. You did a great job summarizing structural systems - their purposes and their function. You included all the key points such as the various types of structures, their characteristics, and materials. I like how you covered the different loads as well as the various stresses on a building. I'm sure your more familiar with this all because of Structures class. It was a great recap for me, and I enjoyed the photos you included! Good job.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Professor VanderNoordaaOctober 22, 2023 at 10:35 AM

    Great summary of Structures- I was thrown for a loop at first- thinking I had lost my mind :)
    You gave us a detailed description of the importance of the structural system, loads and sustainability issues. Great detailed summary and images. 50/50

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jay CallentineOctober 23, 2023 at 8:37 AM

    Susie,

    I really loved your blog and learning about the different structural systems from their various kinds of purposes in construction, their building materials and usages, as well as the different types of sustainable methods used in them. I defiantly benefitted from your prospective on this topic and seeing how you displayed the information in your blog was very informative. Nice job!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Floors and Chicago Showroom

  Floors – Chapter 8 Chapter 8 covered all aspects of flooring from framing to finishes. This chapter identifies the floor-framing systems and the different types of floorings used by interior designer’s; this included hard surfaces, soft surfaces, and resilient flooring. It also discussed how to choose the best sustainable floor finishes and the impact that a floor finish has on the air quality of the space and sustainability. Framing Systems There are a variety of framing systems, however, the most common are wood, steel, and concrete. Within these three are more specific framing systems. For example, wood framing can either be a light frame or heavy timber. Light frame uses multiple wood members to carry a load, whereas heavy timber relies on a structural frame that consists of columns and beams. Steel framing can be structural steel with concrete in metal decking, which is when the system relies on regularly placed columns that support steal beams, or open-web steel jois...
5 comments
Read more

Interior Building Systems

  Chapter 11 – Interior Building Systems This chapter discusses sustainable energy control methods and types and how to incorporate the appropriate security features into a design project. It also applies the principles of good security designs to projects and teaches us how to differentiate between the multiple forms of vertical circulation within a building. To sum it up, the chapter shows us how to effectively and appropriately integrate furniture systems into a building’s structure. Data, Voice, and Telecommunications and Security In today’s society, internet connections and telephone lines are crucial to the modern interior environment. Especially when it comes to wireless services, these result in the need for specific placement of routers to enable equal service throughout the entirety of a space. There are two types of voice and data signals: digitally and analog. Data and video signals are typically encoded digitally, while voice is capture in analog form. On the oth...
3 comments
Read more

Electrical, Plumbing, and Heating and Cooling Building Systems

  Chapter 5 – Electrical Systems and Lighting After reading Chapter 5, one understands the importance of light – daylight or not – in relation to the communication of space. The fifth chapter covered a wide range of sub-sections relating to lighting such as, effective and sustainable lighting solutions, lamp types and their uses in interior spaces, sustainable lamps and fixtures, and reflected ceiling plans. Electricity and Lighting Starting off with the understanding of electrical current and whether it is in the form of alternating current or direct current, the book recaps the basic knowledge of electricity. It travels through a combination of overhead and underground electrical lines. The rate at which these lines turn electricity into something else is measured in watts. We can use the equation W = V x A in which V is the voltage – in reference to the electromotive force – and A is amperes – measured in current. With this being said, a finished electrical circuit has an ...
3 comments
Read more