Metal Building System terminology

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PEMB is an acronym for Pre-Engineered Metal Building.  In 2023 the industry is beginning to rebrand to be MBS which means Metal Building System.  In lay-man terms these can be bolt up or red-iron buildings.

There are "weld-up packages" that a third party engineer can provide an engineering stamp based on the scope of work.  Gideon considers materials for this type of project a Component Sale and installer should follow the engineering specifications for assembly.

Gable Symmetrical:

A continuous frame building with the ridge in the center of the building, consisting of tapered or straight columns and tapered or straight rafters. The sidewall girts may be continuous (by-passing the columns) or simple span (inset in the column line). The rafters may or may not have interior columns.

Gable Asymmetrical:

A continuous frame building with an off-center ridge, consisting of tapered or straight columns and tapered or straight rafters. The eave height and roof slope may differ on each side of the ridge. The sidewall girts may be continuous (by-passing the columns) or simple span (flush in the column line). The rafters may or may not have interior columns.

Single-Slope:

A continuous frame building which does not contain a ridge, but consists of one continuous slope from side to side. The building consists of straight or tapered columns and tapered or straight rafters. The sidewall girts may be continuous (by-passing the columns) or simple span (flush in the column line). The rafters may or may not have interior columns.

Lean-To:

A building extension, which does not contain a ridge, but consists of one continuous slope from side to side. These units usually have the same roof slope and girt design as the building to which they are attached and supported by.

Roof Slope:

Pitch expressed as inches of rise for each 12" of horizontal run.

Building Width:

Measured from outside to outside of sidewall secondary structural member (girt).

Building Eave Height:

A nominal dimension measured from the finished floor to top flange of eave strut.

Building Length:

Measured from outside to outside of endwall secondary structural member.

Auxiliary Loads:

Dynamic loads induced by cranes, conveyors, or other material handling systems.

Collateral Loads:

The weight of any non-moving equipment or material, such as electrical or mechanical equipment, sprinkler systems, plumbing, or ceilings.

Dead Load:

The actual weight of the building system (as provided by the metal building supplier) supported by a given member.

Floor Live Loads:

Loads induced on a floor system by occupants of a building and their furniture, equipment, etc.

Roof Live Loads:

Loads produced by maintenance activities, rain, erection activities, and other movable or moving loads but not including wind, snow, seismic, crane, or dead loads.

Roof Snow Loads:

Gravity load induced by the weight of snow or ice on the roof, assumed to act on the horizontal projection of the roof.

Seismic Loads:

Loads acting in any direction on a structural system due to the action of an earthquake.

Wind Loads:

The loads on a structure induced by the forces of wind blowing from any horizontal direction.