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STEEL BUILDINGS - BASE CONDITION
For steel buildings, the sheeting or panels must be properly connected to the foundation through some sort of base condition. This "base condition" is some kind of lateral member or girt that runs the entire perimeter of the metal structure at or near its base. Aside from providing the lower anchor for the wall panels, the base condition determines exactly how the panels connect to the foundation. In addition, the panels must extend below the finished floor of the building to prevent water and pests from entering.
To accomplish this, steel building manufacturers offer a number of options and several approaches depending on the needs and situations. The different base options are illustrated and described below.
Standard Base Angle
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Base Angle With A Notch |
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The default base condition of any steel building system is the standard base angle. Unless another option is selected, it is included in the base cost of any steel building design. The standard base angle condition consists of a single angle member, attached to both the wall sheets and the slab. This condition requires that the slab be formed with a 1 ½" sheet notch to ensure that the sheets extend below the top of the slab. However, this approach has several disadvantages when compared to other options. First, since the wall sheets are in direct contact with the concrete slab, which may cause a chemical reaction resulting to discoloration. In terms of cost, this option is also more costly because of the extra money spent to extend the slab the additional 1 ½" for the notch.
Base Trim (without concrete notch)
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Base Angle Without A Notch |
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The base trim condition is another option for steel buildings with concrete slab foundations. It adds a trim piece to the standard base angle, reducing the possibility of discoloration of the sheets because they will not come in contact with the concrete.
Base Girt (liner ready)
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| Base Girt With A Notch | Base Girt Without A Notch | Base Girt On A Pier |
Designed for steel or metal buildings that sit on piers rather than a full slab, the base girt system doest not rest on or attach to the foundation. Instead of this, the system uses a base girt that is attached to clips on the columns 6’ above the building’s foundation. The base girt option provides the connection for the liner panel.
Base Channel (liner ready)
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| Base Channel With A Notch | Base Channel Without A Notch | Base Channel On A Pier |
Base channel is a "C" shaped section that runs the whole perimeter of the building connected to the floor. Commonly used when a liner panel or interior wall is going to be installed, the "C" section provides a pre-positioned connection point for inside panels. This approach requires a sheet notch in the concrete slab.
Base Trim and Base Channel (liner Ready)
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There is one other base condition option which involves combining two approaches, base trim and base channel. The base channel portion provides a connection point for the liner panels while the base trim portion does away with the sheet notch in the slab. If there is no more sheet notch, there is no more need for the slab to be extended an extra 1 ½" beyond the frame line.
