Industrial Warehouse Structural Design
Industrial Warehouse Structural Design
Rigid Frame & Roof Truss Alternative - AS 4100 / AS 1170
Rigid Frame & Roof Truss Alternative - AS 4100 / AS 1170
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Project Overview
Project Overview
Designed and analysed alternative structural systems for a large industrial warehouse located in South-West Sydney. The project involved evaluating a rigid portal frame and a roof truss alternative, including load assessment, preliminary sizing, and stability verification in accordance with Australian Standards.
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
The project aimed to determine the most efficient structural system for a large-span industrial warehouse, balancing structural performance, stability under wind loading, and constructability considerations.
Engineering Scope
Engineering Scope
Evaluation of dead, live, and wind loads in accordance with AS 1170
Development of load combinations for ultimate and serviceability limit states
Preliminary sizing of structural members
Tension and compression member design for roof truss alternative
Beam–column combined action checks for rigid frame system
Second-order (P–Δ) stability assessment
Comparative evaluation of structural system efficiency and cost implications
Figure 1. Wind load distribution along portal frame elevation showing varying pressure intensities and tributary spans for lateral analysis.
Figure 2. Critical flange identification under sagging and hogging moments, highlighting compression zones and lateral restraint requirements.
Structural System Considered
Structural System Considered
Industrial warehouse frame
Steel portal frame alternative.
Roof truss replacement option
Braced system with cold-formed steel purlins and girts
Typical internal frame analysis
Tools & Analysis
Tools & Analysis
Microstran structural modelling
Excel-based load and capacity calculations
Australian Standards compliance checks (AS 4100, AS 1170)
My Contribution
My Contribution
Developed load calculations and applied AS 1170 for wind and gravity loading
Performed structural modelling in Microstran and Strand7
Conducted member design checks including beam-column interaction and stability assessment
Compared alternative systems and interpreted results to support design decisions
Figure 3. Finite element model of the portal frame showing bending moment distribution used to identify critical members and validate structural behaviour.
Figure 4. Member capacity verification for axial compression and bending in accordance with AS 4100.
Key Engineering Outcomes
Key Engineering Outcomes
Verified structural adequacy under combined bending and axial actions
Assessed stability effects under wind loading
Compared rigid frame and truss solutions for structural efficiency
Integrated load evaluation with practical constructability considerations
Figure 5. Member selection and capacity checks for critical column and mid-rafter regions based on Microstran analysis results.
Key Learning
Key Learning
This project helped me understand how different structural systems respond to real loading conditions, particularly the impact of connection behaviour and second-order effects on stability. It reinforced the importance of considering constructability and efficiency alongside structural performance when making design decisions.
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