Sponsored by ASCE Continuing Education and ASCE's Structural Engineering Institute (SEI)

Course Length: 1.5 Hours

The webinar method allows the audience to see this webinar straight from my office, without having to travel. I have attended many ASCE webinars and find that ASCE knows how to put together an effective webinar.  -  Anonymous Attendee  

Purpose and Background

This webinar examines the design complexities involved in placing suspended loads on various structural elements.  Suspended loads are present in nearly all building structures, yet their effect on the framing is often poorly understood. The loads range from large (such as monorail cranes) to small (such as suspended pipes and ceilings). When suspended loads are improperly supported from the building beams, girders, joists, and slabs, these structural elements might become locally overstressed, and fail as a result. The flexural members of proprietary design, as well as floor and roof slabs, are especially vulnerable. In many cases the failures were caused by the manner of the load application and by improperly specified attachment details.

The focus is not on the design of the hangers themselves, but on their effects on the supporting structure. The presentation deals with relatively complex situations and with those involving proprietary structural elements, such as open-web steel joists, Z-shaped purlins used in metal building systems, and wood I-joists. The topics of hanging pipes and equipment from concrete and metal decking are also discussed. Since some attachment details have been more problematic than others, a discussion of proven design details is presented.

Webinar Benefits

• Explore the typical problems stemming from improper application of suspended loading on building structural members
• Find out which common, but improper, suspension detail has contributed to the collapse of certain types of buildings
• Discover what kind of loading should not be suspended from metal roof decking
• Learn how to design or check concrete floor slabs for concentrated loads exerted by pipe hangers and similar equipment
• Examine the proven design details for suspending mechanical and electrical equipment from open-web steel joists, Z-shaped purlins, and wood I-joists

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Determine how to safely and efficiently support suspended loading from building beams, joists, and slabs of various kinds
• Become familiar with the differences between gravity and lateral supports

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-assessment (true-false, multiple choice and fill in the blank questions).

Intended Audience

Structural and civil engineers seeking to increase their knowledge of designing supports for suspended loads will benefit from this webinar.

• Introduction
• Relevant code provisions
• Type of hangers
  o Gravity
  o Seismic
• Supports for suspended cranes
• Suspending loads from:
  o Open-web steel joists
  o Z-shape purlins in metal building systems
  o Wood I-joists
  o Concrete slabs
  o Metal deck