The goal is to ensure optimal performance and safety of any structure.
There are essentially three distinct types of buildings. A canopy-style structure is similar to most structures, except that many do not include walls. Canopy structures serve a variety of purposes, including break areas, carports, patio covers, pavilions, product storage covers, sidewalk coverings, entrance covers, and strip mall structures, all intended to provide protection for 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.
Dead 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. Live load is the structure with all the furniture and people that might be inside of the structure.
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 engineering or design 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. Most residential type of structures fall under this classification, but we are seeing more and more municipalities that are requiring a certified Pre-engineered type of structure to be built.
Pre-Engineered Structure is a structure that is manufacturer design and fabricate to meet certain specifications and building codes and load requirements from the manufacture. While purchasing this type of building structure is an easy way to ensure compliance to your building meets code without hiring a structural design engineer. The manufacture does its own testing and design so it the structure is built correctly it will perform to its own the engineering standards. 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.
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 Professional structural design 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.
On larger structures a local municipality might need to see architectural blueprints and its own 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. There are select few local building material suppliers that has an 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' stamp blueprint 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 that structured engineered after the fact it is built. This has to know upfront and before the structure is built.
The real test of any structure is when they are stressed!
Building codes are the construction industry's guidelines, setting the minimum standards to ensure structures are safe and functional. These codes outline the simplest construction methods, allowing builders of all skill levels to avoid major errors and meet essential safety and quality standards. Thus, even novices can erect buildings that are sturdy and safe. Yet, experienced builders often go beyond these basic requirements, understanding that the minimum isn't always sufficient for long-term excellence in quality, design, and performance. They choose better materials, apply smarter building techniques, and add distinctive features not found in standard codes. These advanced practices may not be specified in the building codes, which is where the role of inspectors becomes critical. Skilled inspectors can recognize when builders use superior methods and approve them, even if they're not detailed in the codebook. This interaction is particularly noticeable in areas with a reputation for luxury, custom homes. In conclusion, while building codes are essential for basic safety and quality, they cannot replace the expertise and judgment needed for superior construction. The best buildings are often created by those who follow the rules but also know when and how to surpass them for exceptional results.