Building of small shelter using steel cold-formed lipped channel : connection design

Natural disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons typically cause many innocent victims to be left homeless and it would usually take years to rebuild the affected community so as to provide the victims with new accommodations. It is necessary to propose a low cost but yet, innovative solution which only requires shorter time to provide the victims with a temporary accommodation. Hence, a single-storey rapid deployable shelter made of cold-formed light-gauge section; i.e. C20019 lipped channel, was designed and the connections were tested for its structural adequacy. The design analysis and calculations of the proposed shelter were based on guidance given in BS5950-1:2000 and BS5950-5:1998. C20019 lipped channel is selected as the main structural element for the shelter because it possess very high yield strength but yet, light in weight. It enables the channels to be very portable for the workers to carry out the erection and consequently, reducing the construction time required. The low cost of construction was achieved by using only C20019 lipped channels to erect the shelter. As this report focuses on the design of notched connection between the beams designed in this proposed shelter, a series of single and double lap shear joints tests were carried out to assess the shear capacity of ASTeks A3 12 -14 x 30 HxW self-drilling screws as provided by the supplier and that calculated from the design code. The supplied shear capacity of 9kN for each screw was proven valid from the direct shear tests.Bachelor of Engineering (Civil