STANDARDS SECONDARY

and STRUCTURAL GIRTS

PRACTICES DESIGN

APPENDIX C

COMMENTARY

VP DESIGN MANUAL Section:4.2.C

BUILDINGS, 10/15/01 Rev. 0 Page 1 of 2
INC.
STANDARDS SECONDARY
and STRUCTURAL GIRTS
PRACTICES DESIGN

Comparison of the provisions of this section with current VP Command

The design procedures and progression given in this section of the Design Manual do
not correspond 100% with the methodology currently programmed into VP Command.
The following is an outline of the differences. It is not necessary to revise the designs
produced by VP Command. However, if manual designs are produced the procedures
in this manual should be followed.

Design Manual VP Command

Section II.B Continuous Girts at Framed
Openings: Continuous girts intersecting
framed opening with segment lengths < 6’-0”
are detailed as continuous beams with simple
purlin connections at the jambs. Analysis
assumes continuous support at frame
supports and cantilever at the jamb.
Section III.B Design Assumptions:
The design assumptions in the lap region
shown in this section reflect the
recommendations found in the 1996 AISI
Specification. Cb should be taken as unity.
Section III.C R-Factors: These values have
been replaced with those found in the 1999
AISI Supplement # I.
Currently VP Command assumes that the girt
is simply supported at the jamb and
continuous at frame supports.
Currently VP Command assumes that the girt
is laterally braced at the support, end of lap
and inflection point. The value of Cb is
calculated based on the moment diagram per
the pre-1996 edition of the AISI specification.
The 1996 specification has revised the
equation for Cb.
VP Command currently contains R-factors
based on the ’89 AISI for simple Cee (R=0.4)
and simple Zee (R=0.5).

For simple girts with clip attachments VP

tested values of:
R = 0.7 for simple Zee girts w/ clips and
R = 0.73, 0.73, 0.73, 0.63, 0.57, 0.61 and 0.61
respectively for thickness from 0.059” to
0.120”.
Section III.E Shear: This manual invokes the VP Command is using the pre-1996 AISI
shear provisions in the 1996 AISI shear provisions, which are slightly more
specification. These provisions are slightly conservative than the 96’ provisions.
different than those in the previous edition of
the specification and produce slightly higher
allowable shear forces in some cases.
Purlin lap bolt shear calculation: The current VP Command method designs the
The girt lap bolt shear calculation given in this lap bolts for the member end shear of the
manual reflects the analysis assumptions used single girt at the end of the lap taken directly
in design of the girts in the lap region. from the structural analysis results.
Note: All of the differences between this document and VP Command will be rectified
as soon as possible. In the mean time it is not necessary to modify VP Command
designs.

VP DESIGN MANUAL Section:4.2.C

BUILDINGS, 10/15/01 Rev. 0 Page 2 of 2
INC.