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Crane lowering a steel plate girder onto bridge bearings while ironworkers guide it.

CEGR 492 · Engineering Design Studio · Structural Engineering

Portal Frames and Hangars

Girder erection: constructability, lifting weight and bearing detail turn a design into a built span.

Phase VI · Engineering Design Studio · Week 6–8

Portal Frame and Aircraft Hangar Studio

Design long-span portal frames and hangar structures with large clear spans, doors and crane or wind demands.

AISC 360
MBMA
ASCE 7
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Frame elements designed

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Add a frame element to record its inputs, capacity and governing check.

Learning objectives

  • Analyze portal frame actions
  • Design haunches and knee joints
  • Check long-span deflection

Engineering judgment

  • Long spans are deflection-driven.
  • Large door openings disrupt the lateral system.

Governing standards

  • ASCE 7-22

    Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria

    Dead, live, snow, wind, seismic, flood loads and combinations

    Ch. 2 Combinations
    Ch. 4 Live
    Ch. 26–30 Wind
    Ch. 11–12 Seismic
  • AISC 360-22

    Specification for Structural Steel Buildings

    Steel member and connection design

    Ch. D Tension
    Ch. E Compression
    Ch. F Flexure
    Ch. J Connections
  • ACI 318-19

    Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete

    Reinforced concrete design and detailing

    Ch. 9 Beams
    Ch. 10 Columns
    Ch. 22 Strength
    Ch. 25 Detailing
  • TMS 402/602-22

    Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures

    Masonry walls, lintels, pilasters

    Ch. 8 ASD
    Ch. 9 SD

FE Civil connection

Frame analysis

Handbook section: Structural Analysis

Practice this FE topic

Recommended next step

Parking Garage Design Studio

Design parking structures: bay layout, ramps, long-span floor systems, durability and vehicle barrier loads.

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