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Assessment & maintenance of pre-engineered buildings

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National Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development

National Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development

ISSN: 2455-9040; Impact Factor: RJIF 5.22
www.nationaljournals.com
Volume 1; Issue 4; September 2016; Page No. 31-34

Assessment & maintenance of pre-engineered buildings

1
Aditya P Mehendale, 2 Dr. AK Gupta, 3 Prof. D. B. Desai
1
PG Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. J.J. Magdum College of Engineering Jaysingpur, Maharashtra, India
2, 3
Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Dr.J.J.Magdum College of Engineering Jaysingpur, Maharashtra, India

Abstract
Steel industry is growing rapidly in almost all the parts of the world. The use of steel structures is not only economical but also
Eco-friendly at the time when there is a threat of global warming. Here, “economical” word is stated considering time and cost.
Time being the most important aspect, steel structures (Pre-fabricated) is built in very short period and one such example is Pre
Engineered Buildings (PEB). Pre-engineered buildings are nothing but steel buildings in which excess steel is avoided by tapering
the sections as per the bending moment’s requirement. One may think about its possibility, but it’s a fact many people are not
aware about Pre Engineered Buildings. If we go for regular steel structures, time frame will be more, and also cost will be more,
and both together i.e. time and cost, makes it uneconomical. Thus in pre-engineered buildings, the total design is done in the
factory, and as per the design, members are pre-fabricated and then transported to the site where they are erected in a time less than
6 to 8 weeks.

Keywords: pre-engineered building, assessment of PEB, maintenance of PEB

1. Introduction 2. Durability Factors

India has the fastest growing market in the PEB construction Following are the factors on which durability of PEB structure
segment. Infrastructure development and the increasing in depend:-
popularity of PEB systems in the industrial sector have led to a 1) The grade of steel used for PEB.
robust growth of Indian PEB market. PEBs have hit the 2) The joints of components of PEB.
construction market in a major way owing to the many 3) Regular maintenance of PEB.
benefits they possess. The PEB concept has been gaining 4) The accurate cutting and sizes of components of PEB.
momentum, and the scope of growth is increasing due to 5) The material used to avoid environmental effects on PEB
India’s huge infrastructural requirements. The scope of using
structure.
PEBs ranges from showrooms, low height commercial
complexes, industrial building and workshops, stadiums, 6) The design must be proper as per the loads.
schools, bridges, fuel stations, aircraft hangers, exhibition 7) Load calculation should be exact as per the present
centers, railway stations and metro applications. Durability of situation.
any structure is mainly depends on its component parts and its 8) Type of sheeting or cladding provided in the structure.
regular maintenance work.

2.1 Suggestions for increasing durability of PEB

Table 1: Suggestions for increasing durability

S. Factors Affecting
Suggested Remark
No. Durability
Greater than 8.8
1. Grade of bolts To increase the strength at joints
Like 9.8 or 10.9 or 12.9
Joints must be made by using torque fixing machine. So there will not be
2. Joints
chances of loosening of screws or nuts.
Maintenance should be done after regular interval of Generally regular maintenance is not required for PEB as per the
3. Regular Maintenance
time as per the location of structure. suggestion of manufacturer. But to increase durability it will be helpful.
Accurate cutting of The components must be cut properly and in perfect shape and size as
4.
components per the design provided by designer.
To get better finish and also to avoid environment Multi coat paint system is costly than shop primer but it gives better
5. Environmental effect
effect multi coat paint system should be adopted. finish.
It is most important factor on which durability is based. So design should
6. Design
be made properly by designer by considering all conditions and loads.
All loads should be considered by the designer according to use of
7. Load Calculation
building and also load calculation should be done properly and perfect.
8. Cladding or sheeting 275 GSM with 2.3 mm thickness To minimize corrosion effect

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National Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development

If all these points taken in to account that will be helpful for us The following steps should be maintained in maintenance:
to increase the durability of the same structure. Mainly  No walking on wet floors, gutters
durability of PEB structure is depends on grade of steel,  No stepping on skylights
welding and regular maintenance of building. These buildings  Availability of fire extinguishers.
are highly durable than conventional buildings and RCC  Use ladders that is 1 meter above the step-off
structures. Because all the components are made up of purely  Site safety procedure and emergency contacts.
steel. In some cases we can construct the same structure of  Use of personal protection equipment, contemporary tools
PEB at another location. But the loading conditions and and machineries are mandatory.
atmospheric conditions must be same. So, if atmospheric as  Use of passive restraint mechanisms like sky web fall
well as loading conditions are same then we can construct the protection system significantly reduces risk during
same structure on another place by using same components of maintenance.
steel.  Sufficient precautions should also be taken toward
To improve the durability of PEB maintenance is also electrical safety and hazardous substances.
important factor.
4. Assessment of PEB
3. Maintenance Period of PEB Regular maintenance and assessment is an important factor to
Periodic maintenance of PEB depends upon the environmental maximize the life of PEBs. Maintenance depends upon the
zone and pollution level in which the building is located. In locality of the building. Building areas with moisture and dry
PEB, the core maintenance is required for the steel roofing and climate requires proper care than in mild and less populated
cladding. In the humid areas, buildings should be taken much industrial areas. Maintenance of the building can be taken by
care as the moisture presents in the air breakdowns the paint. stagnation of unwanted materials and debris. Mostly, the
vulnerable areas of the building like gutters, down spout, roof
3.1 Maintenance Period of PEB sheets and shelters areas under eaves and canopies covered
Frequency of maintenance is dependent upon the with dirt, gutter and water should be washed off with clean
environmental zone in which the building is located. Table 2 water and soft brush. Less preference to maintenance will lead
shows maintenance period for PEB in different locations. to short life of buildings.
The steel buildings also require attention to maintain their
Table 2: Maintenance period for PEB in different locations performance, appearance and value like any other investments.
Building Location Maintenance Steel buildings considerably have lower maintenance need
Within 5 km of the sea. Every 3 months than those of concrete structures. Nevertheless, maintenance
High pollution industrial area. Every 3 months contributes to the appreciably longer operational life of a steel
Medium pollution industrial area Every 4 months building. Clean surfaces enhance the life of steel buildings as
Areas of high humidity. Every 4 months well as improve the thermal performance of steel buildings.
Low pollution industrial area. Every 6 months Corrosion and physical damage are area for concern. Timely
Dry desert regions. Every 6 months repair retains both functionality and aesthetics of the structure.
A metal building or roof assembly should last 15 to 30 years
3.2 Maintenance Procedure before serious maintenance is required. Yet, due to various
A maintenance procedure varies from building to building and environmental and pollution related factors, many metal
depends upon building design, material specifications and buildings and metal roofing assemblies require slight
access provisions. It is also necessary to ensure that the leak- maintenance from time to time. “To achieve the desired life
proof performance of the building is not compromised. and functionality, maintenance of the building is also
Preventive maintenance of PEBS begins immediately after a important just like other maintenance of machines and
project is erected. Waste and small items such as screws, pop equipment.
rivets, drill bits, or any ferrous objects are removed by Maintenance is preventive in nature. Activities include
sweeping with a soft nylon brush. Large items such as sheet inspection and works necessary to fulfill the intended function
metal cut-off are removed by hand to avoid damaging the or to sustain original standard of service. The maintenance of
surface of the roof panels. Sand and dust shall be removed by structure is done to meet the following objectives:-
washing with clean potable water and a soft nylon brush. To  Prevention of damages due to natural agencies and to keep
remove saline deposits that become encrusted on the panels of them in good appearance and working condition.
buildings located in high pollution industrial areas, or close to  Repair of the defects occurred in the structure and
marine environments should be washed with the mild strengthen them, if necessary.
detergent added to the initial washing water. Oil, grease, tar, Following points are observed during assessment of PEB
wax, or similar substances can be removed with mineral structure:-
spirits, followed by a detergent solution and a clean potable 1. Generally there is no requirement of regular maintenance
water rinse. Caustic or abrasive cleaners may damage the paint for PEB structures.
and zinc layers. 2. After completion of erection work manufacturer provides
25 years guarantee certificate.
3.3 Safety Measures during Maintenance 3. It is not possible to check the structure at very high level.
A completed roof of a steel building is a safe surface, except If checking is done then it is at low i.e. foundation level.
near the edge and roof openings, or if it becomes slippery due 4. For fixing nuts and bolts high tension torque fixing
to moisture. machines are used, so there is no problem regarding

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National Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development

loosening of nuts or screws. Following solutions are taken for problems:-

5. For some cases to achieve economy rafters are 1. The water leakage problem from roof is due to gap
manufactured on site and purlins are purchased from other between lapping. So to overcome from this problem they
manufacturer. provided adhesive sheets between the gaps. As the gaps are
6. Generally PEBs are designed for particular zones only. fully closed water leakage problem gets solved.
7. There is no problem of any ventilation or air circulation in 2. The problem of leakage is due to difference between
the observed factory area as turbo ventilators and sky profiles of sheets also. If sheets are purchased from two
lights are provided. different manufacturers then there will be problem of
leakage.
3. Due to improper drilling during fixing nuts and screws
there may be problem of leakage. So drilling should be
done properly and should be in perfect size to avoid such
problems.
4. To avoid corrosion effect good painting should be
provided. It will be good in look and also corrosion also
avoided.
5. Components at higher level should be properly painted and
then erected.
6. Generally maintenance work is done only for sheets and
ventilators only.

5. Conclusions
Following points are concluded from this paper:-
Fig 1: Water leakage problem form ceiling  Pre engineered buildings have vast advantages over
conventional buildings.
 PEB structures are lighter structures. As PEB is 30 %
lighter than CSB structures.
 Generally PEB requires 6-8 weeks for its delivery. It
requires maximum 15 to 25 days for its erection.
 PEB structures are higher resistance against earthquake
loads.
 PEB structure cost is 25-30 % lesser than CSB structures.
 PEB manufacturers are able to stock large amount of
elements and accessories which can be used in many types
of PEB construction.
 PEB structures can be erected in other places, by using
same components. But the main requirement is loads and
environmental conditions must be same.
 There is no requirement of continuous maintenance work
for PEB structures.
 There is 25 years of guarantee certificate is provided by
manufacturer.
 We can erect same structure from at other place by using
same material.
Fig 2: Water leakage problems on walls  No problem of loosening of nuts or bolts as they are fixed
by toque machine.
 No problems regarding air circulation or ventilation.
 Minimum effect of atmosphere like high temperature or
high rainfall or some amount of wind intensity.
 More cost requires in high wind intensity areas.
 All components of the PEB system are specially designed
to act together as a system for highest efficiency. PEB
designs are revised regularly with respect to the actual
field conditions and in accordance with various country
codes, which resulted in improved standardized designs
leading to high performance of the structure.
 PEB systems have numerous advantages including cost
effectiveness, quality control, speed in construction, ease
in expansion, achievement of large span, long durability,
exceptional architecture, standardization of materials,
standardization of design, single sourcing and co-
Fig 3: Corrosion effect on members ordination, speed in delivery, etc.
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National Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development

6. References
1. Jayavelmurugan J, Thirumal JR, Padmanabhanharidas A
Study on Pre Engineered Steel Building Structures,
International Journal of Innovative Research in Science,
Engineering and Technology. 2015; 4(1):18622-18629.
2. Shah Saurabh A, Kumthekar MB. Guidelines for Erection
process of Pre Engineered Building, International Journal
of Engineering and Technical Research. 2015; 3(5):404-
408.
3. Swathi DV. Design and Analysis of Pre-Engineered Steel
Frame, International Journal of Research Sciences and
Advanced Engineering. 2014; 2(8):250-255.
4. Zende Aijaz Ahmad, Kulkarni AV, Hutagia Aslam.
Comparative Study of Analysis and Design of Pre-
Engineered Buildings and Conventional Frames, IOSR
Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering. 2013;
5(1):32-43.
5. Bhojkar Milind, Darade Milind. Comparison of Pre
Engineering Building and Steel Building with Cost and
Time Effectiveness, International Journal of Innovative
Science, Engineering and Technology. 2014; 1(10)487-
490.
6. Mehendale Aditya P, Gupta AK, Desai DB. “Overview of
Pre-Engineered Building, Imperial Journal of
Interdisciplinary Research. 2016; 2(6):1421-1425.

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