scope:

INTRODUCTION

This guide is written to provide useful information and design examples relative to the design of temporary lateral support systems and components for low-rise buildings. For the purpose of this presentation, low-rise buildings are taken to have the following characteristics:

(1) Function: general purpose structures for such uses as light manufacturing, crane buildings, warehousing, offices, and other commercial and institutional buildings.

(2) Proportions:

(a) height: 60 feet tall or less.

(b) stories: a maximum of two stories.

Temporary support systems are required whenever an element or assembly is not or has not reached a state of completion so that it is stable and/or of adequate strength to support its self-weight and imposed loads. The need for temporary supports is identified in Paragraph M4.2 of the AISC Specification for Structural Steel Buildings and in Section 7 of the AISC Code of Standard Practice for Steel Buildings and Bridges.

To a great extent the need for this guide on temporary supports was created by the nature and practice of design and construction of low-rise buildings. In many instances, for example, the lateral bracing systems for low-rise buildings contain elements which are not in the scope of the steel erector's work. For this reason the Code of Standard Practice makes a distinction between Self-Supporting and Non-Self-Supporting framework as will be discussed later. Other temporary supports such as shoring and cribbing for vertical loads are not included in the scope of this guide.