Modular shear panel for light gage steel construction of multistory buildings and method of construction

Abstract

A light gage shear panels used in multistory building construction where it is desirable to have the load bearing walls of successive floors stacked directly on top of each other and structurally connected thereto. Methods of on-site building construction using prefabricated shear panels are disclosed.

1 . A shear panel for light gage steel framed construction comprising:
 two spaced apart, vertical truss members, each truss member being of formed of light gage steel and having a generally C-shaped cross-section with the open side thereof facing the open side of the other of said two vertical truss members;   a horizontal upper web member being formed of light gage steel and having a generally square cross-section with the opposite ends thereof extending into said two vertical truss members through the open side thereof adjacent the upper end of said two truss members and being secured thereto so that the upward facing surface of said upper web member is adapted to support a floor; and   at least two non-horizontal, non-parallel web members each formed from light gage steel and having a generally square cross-section, the opposite ends of said non-parallel members extending into said two vertical truss members through the open side thereof intermediate the height thereof and being secured thereto.   
   
   
       2 . The shear panel of  claim 1  further comprising two vertical alignment members, each vertical alignment member being formed of light gage steel and having a generally C-shaped cross-section and a height less than about one fourth the height of said vertical truss members,
 the lower end of each of said two alignment members being nested in the top end of one of said vertical truss members between the vertical truss member and one end of said horizontal web member and being secured to both said vertical truss member and said horizontal web member, the upper end of each of said alignment members vertically extending above the upward facing horizontal surface of said horizontal web member a distance greater than the thickness of the floor to be supported thereon to facilitate the alignment of, and connection to, a shear panel supported by the floor.   
   
   
       3 . The shear panel of  claim 2  wherein the generally C-shape cross-section of said alignment members is formed by two generally L-shaped members. 
   
   
       4 . The shear panel of  claim 2  wherein each of said vertical truss members comprises in cross-section:
 a base; and two substantially parallel legs extending in the same direction from the longitudinal edges of said base over the length thereof at a substantially right angle thereto,   each of said legs comprising: a first outer face adjacent said base; a web attachment face, the plane of the web attachment face being substantially parallel to the plane of said first outer face; a portion interconnecting said first outer face and said web attachment face, said interconnecting portion extending inwardly at a substantially right angle from the distal edge of said first outer face and outwardly at a substantially right angle from the longitudinal edge of said web attachment face adjacent said base; and a reinforcement flange extending from the distal edge of said web attachment face over a portion of the length thereof said flange comprising a lateral flange portion extending outwardly at a substantially right angle from the distal edge of said web attachment face and an outer flange face extending toward said base at a substantially right angle from the outer edge of said lateral flange portion, said outer flange face being substantially coplanar with said first outer face.   
   
   
       5 . The shear panel of  claim 4  wherein said the longitudinal width of the legs of said vertical truss is greater than the longitudinal width of the base, and said reinforcement flange extends from the distal edge of said web attachment face over the length thereof. 
   
   
       6 . The shear panel of  claim 1  wherein each of said web members comprises a pair of elongated members, each of said members comprising in cross-section a web and two flanges extending from the longitudinal edges of said web in the same direction at a substantially right angle thereto, one of said flanges extending farther from said web than the other of said flanges, each of said flanges terminating in an inwardly turned lip extending toward the other of the flanges, said members being nested so that the shorter of the flanges of each member is adjacent to and inside of the longer of the flanges of the other member so that the two nested members form a generally box-shaped web member. 
   
   
       7 . The shear panel of  claim 1  wherein said web members are secured to said truss members by welding. 
   
   
       8 . The shear panel of  claim 1  wherein said non-horizontal webs are three in number 
   
   
       9 . The shear panel of  claim 8  wherein the adjacent ends of the lower two of said non-horizontal webs are spaced apart to provide room for conduit to pass horizontally through the panel without passing through any of said webs. 
   
   
       10 . The shear panel of  claim 1  where the lowest end of the lowest non-horizontal web is spaced from the lower end of the vertical truss to which secured to avoid interference of said web with the on-site mounting of said vertical truss on a preexisting upright. 
   
   
       11 . The shear panel of  claim 10  further comprising a second horizontal web member formed from light gage steel and having a generally square cross-section with the opposite ends thereof extending into said two vertical truss members through the open side between said first horizontal web member and the uppermost of said non-parallel web members and being secured thereto,
 the upward facing surface of said second horizontal web member being adapted to support one or more floor trusses with the upward facing surface thereof level with the upper surface of said first horizontal web member.   
   
   
       12 . A shear panel for light gage steel framed construction comprising:
 two spaced apart, vertical truss members, each truss member being of formed of light gage steel and having a generally C-shaped cross-section with the open side thereof facing the open side of the other of said two vertical truss members;   a horizontal upper web member being formed of light gage steel and having a generally square cross-section with the opposite ends thereof extending into said two vertical truss members through the open side thereof at a point spaced from the upper end of said two truss members and being secured thereto so that the upward facing surface of said upper web member is adapted to support one or more floor trusses with the upper surface thereof at the height of the upper end of said two vertical trusses; and   at least two non-horizontal, non-parallel web members each formed from light gage steel and having a generally square cross-section, the opposite ends of said non-parallel members extending into said two vertical truss members through the open side thereof intermediate the height thereof and being secured thereto.   
   
   
       13 . The shear panel of  claim 12  further comprising two vertical alignment members, each vertical alignment member being formed of light gage steel and having a generally C-shaped cross-section and a height less than about one fourth the height of said vertical truss members,
 the lower end of each of said two alignment members being nested in the top end of one of said vertical truss members between the vertical truss member and one end of said horizontal web member and being secured to both said vertical truss member and said horizontal web member, the upper end of each of said alignment members vertically extending above the upward facing horizontal surface of said horizontal web member a distance greater than the thickness of the floor to be supported thereon to facilitate the alignment of, and connection to, a shear panel supported by the floor.   
   
   
       14 . The shear panel of  claim 12  wherein the generally C-shape cross-section of said alignment members is formed by two generally L-shaped members. 
   
   
       15 . The shear panel of  claim 14  wherein each of said vertical truss members comprises in cross-section:
 a base; and two substantially parallel legs extending in the same direction from the longitudinal edges of said base over the length thereof at a substantially right angle thereto,   each of said legs comprising: a first outer face adjacent said base; a web attachment face, the plane of the web attachment face being substantially parallel to the plane of said first outer face; a portion interconnecting said first outer face and said web attachment face, said interconnecting portion extending inwardly at a substantially right angle from the distal edge of said first outer face and outwardly at a substantially right angle from the longitudinal edge of said web attachment face adjacent said base; and a reinforcement flange extending from the distal edge of said web attachment face over a portion of the length thereof said flange comprising a lateral flange portion extending outwardly at a substantially right angle from the distal edge of said web attachment face and an outer flange face extending toward said base at a substantially right angle from the outer edge of said lateral flange portion, said outer flange face being substantially coplanar with said first outer face.   
   
   
       16 . The shear panel of  claim 15  wherein said the longitudinal width of the legs of said vertical truss is greater than the longitudinal width of the base, and said reinforcement flange extends from the distal edge of said web attachment face over the length thereof. 
   
   
       17 . The shear panel of  claim 12  wherein each of said web members comprises a pair of elongated members, each of said members comprising in cross-section a web and two flanges extending from the longitudinal edges of said web in the same direction at a substantially right angle thereto, one of said flanges extending farther from said web than the other of said flanges, each of said flanges terminating in an inwardly turned lip extending toward the other of the flanges, said members being nested so that the shorter of the flanges of each member is adjacent to and inside of the longer of the flanges of the other member so that the two nested members form a generally box-shaped web member. 
   
   
       18 . The shear panel of  claim 12  wherein said web members are secured to said truss members by welding. 
   
   
       19 . The shear panel of  claim 12  wherein said non-horizontal webs are three in number. 
   
   
       20 . The shear panel of  claim 19  wherein the adjacent ends of the lower two of said non-horizontal webs are spaced apart to provide room for conduit to pass horizontally through the panel without passing through any of said webs. 
   
   
       21 . The shear panel of  claim 1  where the lowest end of the lowest non-horizontal web is spaced from the lower end of the vertical truss to which secured to avoid interference of said web with the on-site mounting of said vertical truss on a preexisting upright. 
   
   
       22 . The method of building construction using prefabricated shear panels aligned and structurally connected at the building site comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a first floor;   (b) installing a base plate on the floor;   (c) providing plural prefabricated light gage shear panels, each of said panels being fabricated off-site and including (i) two spaced apart, vertical truss members having a generally C-shaped cross-section and the open side thereof facing the open side of the other of said two vertical truss members, (ii) a horizontal upper web member having a generally square cross-section with the opposite ends thereof extending into said two vertical truss members through the open side thereof adjacent the upper end of said vertical two truss members and being secured thereto so that the upward facing surface of said upper web member is adapted to support a floor, (iii) at least two non-horizontal, non-parallel web members having a generally square cross-section, the opposite ends of said non-parallel members extending into said two vertical truss members through the open side thereof intermediate the height thereof and being secured thereto, and (iv) alignment members extending vertically upward from said vertical truss members a distance greater than the height of the floor to be provided;   (d) mounting one panel on the base member;   (e) providing a floor supported by the horizontal web member with the upper surface thereof at the height of the upper ends of the vertical trusses so that the alignment members extend upwardly above the floor;   (f) mounting one of the panels onto the alignment members so that the shear panels on successive floors are aligned; and   (g) securing the upper floor vertical truss members to the alignment members of the lower floor panel so that the shear panels on successive floors are structurally connected.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the horizontal web member is attached to the vertical truss members at the upper end thereof; and
 wherein the floor is provided by supporting a metal deck on the horizontal web member and pouring concrete on top of the deck to a height less than the height of the alignment members.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the horizontal web member is attached to the vertical truss members at a point spaced from the upper end thereof; and
 wherein the floor is provided by supporting one of more floor truss members on the horizontal web member and supporting a floor on the floor truss members, the height of the floor being less than the height of the alignment members.