Designs

The goal is to ensure optimal performance and safety of any structure. 

All canopy type of structure is just like most any other structure, but most canopy type structures don't have walls. Most canopy structures and are used for numerous other and different types of applications such as break area, carports, patio covers, pavilions, product storage covers, sidewalk coverings, front entry way covers, and strip mall structures all designed to protect people and their vehicles. 

Any and all of the building materials has their own limits to how they are used safely to cover a canopy open span area or between any structure poles. 

The stress to any structure can come from many forms but normally come from wind, snow. earthquake or shafting of the dirt soil. 

Snow load refers to the amount of "snow and ice" weight per sq ft (PSF) that a building's roof is able to support. 

Wind loads refer to the amount of force the winds put on any type of structure and in a canopy type of application we talk about up-drafts or down-drafts winds. or earth quicks and shifting soils. 

Live load is the weight of the building by itself.  If you exceed any building materials limits the structure may collapse or fail while under stress which normally comes during a server weather event.

Just because a building material are sold in longer extended lengths doesn't mean you may use those building materials for those longer spans. ex; 

We might purchase a 24ft 4x4 tubing to be cut down to two 12 ft poles. 

The real test of any structure is when they are stressed.  

Non-engineered structure that are not specifically engineered for a particular design criteria. This might use by a builder that is going down to a local building materials yard picking up the building components that is needed to fabricate and then building a structure without any plans, blueprints or documents to say that structure meets any design or engineering standards.  

Non-engineered building design processes do not account for component loads or actual component strengths. In the middle lies a partially engineered structure which is a NON-ENEEREDERED type of structure there are no gray areas.

Engineered buildings - Structural engineering is a specialty trained person in structural engineering that analyze, design, plan, and research structural components and structural systems to achieve design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of the end users and its occupants.  

A engineer is able to stamp the structure blueprints plans within their own State approval seal stamps certifying that the structure design achieves design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of the end users and its occupants are safe. 

Each State has their own rules and regulation and a design from another and are not excepted within another State. Critical skills and ongoing training a person need in structural engineering for a particular design criteria, blueprints or documents to say that structure meets any engineering standards. They need to be able to predict how these materials will perform over an extended period of time and while under stress or load. 

Normal stress come from heavy rains, ice / snow loads, and high wind loads as well as earthquakes and soil movements. A fully engineered building is one in which all structural component interactions are properly accounted for during structural analyses, and forces resulting from these analyses are used to size all building components. 

Pre-Engineered structure is a structure that is manufacturer design and fabricate to meet certain specifications and building codes and load requirements when built correctly.  While purchasing this type of building structure is an easy way to ensure compliance to your building meets code. It also provides you with numerous options for customization, meaning you can modify multiple aspects of your building based on you or your unique wants and needs. 

On larger structures a local municipality might need to see architectural blueprints and the engineering spec with a submittal package on all of the structure combined building components before approving with a building permit. Those are additional professional services which has cost associated with then before the construction can begin.   

Some of our local municipalities are now requiring a pre-engineered canopy structure to be built. In most cases a residential canopy type of structures is not required to be a engineered structure standard but you might have a insurance company that might require a pre-engineered type of structure to be built. 

There are select few local building material suppliers that has a engineer personnel on staff and can show their own engineering certifications on their own designs when built properly.  

We also work with some product manufacturer and all of their own canopy designs are pre-engineered and have the company engineers' stamps are on their manufacturer design documents and can be supplied when and if needed.

We can't build a non-engineered canopy structure then get it engineered after the fact it is built.

 This is a building requirement that any builder needs to know upfront...