Portable Windbreak Materials Worksheet

v.5.16

The worksheet is applicable when the ND NRCS Standard Drawing 25 for Portable
Livestock Shelter Structures is used.

The "Determine Materials" worksheet will perform two functions for panels up to 10’ in
height or 30’ in length. 1) The worksheet will generate a list of all acceptable material
sizes. 2) The worksheet will check a known material size to see if it is acceptable.

Cells in Blue are user inputs.

The dimensions and material used inputs must be entered before any results are available.
Enter the barrier height and panel length using the drop down list. If your barrier height
or panel length is not listed choose the next largest value.

Chose the type of material for the vertical members, horizontal members, diagonal
bracing, and legs using the drop down lists. If multiple types of material will be used for
the same member, input one and get the results then input the other material.
After these inputs have been entered:
The Acceptable Material list will populate with 10 options for each structural item. For the
complete list of acceptable material sizes go to the “Complete Material List” worksheet

If you know the size of the material you want to use, you can select the size from the
dropdowns in the “Check Know Material” area. A message will then appear stating the
material size is either acceptable or not acceptable.
Materials

Common materials used with portable livestock shelter structures include the following:
Hollow Structural Section (HSS)
Structural steel with a hollow tubular cross section. Rectangular and square HSS are commonly
referred to as tube steel or structural tubing. Circular HSS is easily confused with steel pipe - but
they are classified differently. HSS is based on exterior dimensions.
Example
HSS2X1X.188 is a rectangular hollow structural section that is 2 inches by 1 inch and is 0.888 inches
thick.

Example
HSS1.9X.145 is a circular hallow structural section that has an outside diameter of 1.9 inches and has
a wall thickness of 0.145 inches.

Pipe
Pipe is a hollow cylinder that has a constant outside diameter for a given pipe size, but the inside
diameter changes based on the wall thickness. For pipe sizes less than 14 inches the outside
diameter is rounded off and is not the same as the actual outside diameter. For example, for 2 inch
pipe the actual outside diameter is 2.375 inches. The only way to obtain the actual outside diameter
is to look it up in a reference table.
Designating the outside diameter allows pipes of the same size to be fit together no matter what the
wall thickness.

Wall thickness can be specified by the schedule, commonly stated in two different nomenclatures:
Standard Wall (STD) = SCH 40 = 0.375 inch wall thickness
Extra Strong (XS) = SCH 80 = 0.500 inch wall thickness
Double Extra Strong (XXS) - depends on the pipe -

Example
Pipe1/2SCH80 and Pipe1/2XS are the same pipe size using different nomenclature. The Sch 80 and
the XS denote the wall thickness (0.5 inches). The 1/2 denotes the outside diameter.

Rules of thumb for differentiating pipe versus circular tubing:

Pipe will typically have a coating on the outside of the pipe and will be marked (although you may
not be able to read the markings), circular tubing will not have a coating or be marked.
While both the pipe and circular tubing are welded materials, the flange or inside seam is removed
in the pipe, while it will still be seen in the circular tubing.
Rules of thumb for differentiating pipe versus circular tubing:
Pipe will typically have a coating on the outside of the pipe and will be marked (although you may
not be able to read the markings), circular tubing will not have a coating or be marked.
While both the pipe and circular tubing are welded materials, the flange or inside seam is removed
in the pipe, while it will still be seen in the circular tubing.

Angle (L-shaped cross-section)

Structural steel member with has an L-shaped cross section. The angle may have equal leg lengths
or unequal leg lengths.

Example
L2-1/2X2-1/2X3/16 has equal leg lengths of 2.5 inches each with a thickness of 3/16 of an inch.
United States Department of Agriculture ND-ENG-576
Natural Resources Conservation Service Version 5.16
North Dakota

PORTABLE LIVESTOCK SHELTER MATERIAL WORKSHEET

Cooperator: County:
Location: Field No.:
Designed by: Date:
Reviewed by: Date:

Dimensions* Material Used

Barrier Height (h) in feet Vertical Members
Panel Length (x) in feet Horizontal Members
Number of Horizontal Members Diagonal Bracing
*for all dimensions- round up to the nearest number Legs

Design Criteria

Number of Vertical Horizontal

Barrier Panel Vertical Member Diagonal Minimum
Horizontal Support Member Leg Members
Height (h) Length (x)
Required Specs Required Specs
Member Panel Gauge
Members Spacing

Section Area Section Area Force Section Area

(ft) (ft) (no.) (ft) Modulus Modulus Modulus (gauge)
(in3) (in2) (in3) (in2) (kip) (in3) (in2)

Check Known Material

*note - if you change the type of "Material Used" above, you must reselect a material size from the
drop-down lists below!

Vertical Supports

Horiztonal Members

Diagonal Bracing

Legs
 Portable Livestock Shelter - Acceptable Material List

Vertical Support Material: Horizontal Member Material:

Type EDI Std Nomenclature AISC Manual Label Type EDI Std Nomenclature

Diagonal Bracing Material: Leg Material:

Type EDI Std Nomenclature AISC Manual Label Type EDI Std Nomenclature
st

AISC Manual Label

AISC Manual Label

 Portable Lives
Vertical Support Material: Horizontal Member Material:
Type EDI Std Nomenclature AISC Manual Label Type EDI Std Nomenclature
 Portable Livestock Shelter - Acceptable Material List
Diagonal Bracing Material:
AISC Manual Label Type EDI Std Nomenclature AISC Manual Label
Leg Material:
Type EDI Std Nomenclature AISC Manual Label