CPC40120 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction

Unit 4010 – Structural Principles for Residential & Commercial Construction – TFC
ROOF FRAMING – STRUTTING BEAMS – EXPLANATION
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2.6E – STRUTTING BEAMS – EXPLANATION

As mentioned previously the underpurlin struts are supported off the top plates of the internal and
external wall frame. In case where the internal walls are too far to provide support for the underpurlin
struts strutting beams are used which provide same function.

There are three types of beams that can be used to support the underpurlin struts: –

− Strutting Beam
− Combined Strutting/ Hanging Beam
− Combined Strutting/ Counter Beam
which are covered in cl. 7.3.11; 7.3.9 and 7.3.10 of AS 1684.2 respectively.

To size any of these beams a new parameter/ requirement is needed – Roof Area Supported, which
indicates how much of the roof load is transferred to the beam. (For full definition and graphic
explanation of R.A.S. refer to cl. 2.6.5 and fig. 2.10 (a) on p. 29 & 30 of AS 1684.2.)

EXERCISE 1.

Using the floor plan and specification for Underpurlin exercise 1: –

− Wind Classification – N1/N2 – Roof pitch - 30° each side

− MGP10 Seasoned Softwood – Rafter spacing – 600 mm c/c
− Gable Roof with unstrutted ridge – Eaves width – 450 mm
− Timber clad wall construction – Gable end eaves width – 275 mm
− Roofing – Terracotta tiles
− One centrally placed Underpurlin to each pitch

7 800

100 100 100

4 900 2 600

C2 A
Strutting points

C S/HB
4 500

SB
SB
2 050

C1 B
100

100 100 100

3 100 4 400

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prepared by B. Nikulski © 2.6E.1

 CPC40120 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction
Unit 4010 – Structural Principles for Residential & Commercial Construction – TFC
ROOF FRAMING – STRUTTING BEAMS – EXPLANATION
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Determine the size of the following strutting beams: –

a) TRANSVERSE STRUTTING BEAM in room B.

Note – Fig. 7.24 (cl. 7.3.11, p. 105 of AS1684.2) gives information and visual explanation
for Strutting Beams.

Roof Area Supported (RAS)

= A/2 x B/2

Look at table 27, read through the headings of the table and determine the required
information/ unknowns.

➢ ROOFING
➢ RAS
➢ SPAN

➢ RAS (Roof Area Supported) – cl. 2.6.5 (p.28) & fig. 2.10 (a) (p. 29) = Amount
of Roof Load carried by some roof members (and
stud/ posts supporting concentrated loads).

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prepared by B. Nikulski © 2.6E.2

 CPC40120 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction
Unit 4010 – Structural Principles for Residential & Commercial Construction – TFC
ROOF FRAMING – STRUTTING BEAMS – EXPLANATION
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ridgeboard

'A'

'B'

Roof strut

Strutting beam
Strutting
beam span Underpurlin

Roof Area Supported (RAS) = A/2 x B/2

A = Length of Underpurlin spans (each side of strut)

B = Rafter Length

To summarise: –

➢ ROOFING Tiles (given in Specification)

➢ RAS 2.86 m2 (see working-out below)

➢ SPAN 2050 (width of room B)

SIZE REQUIRED 2/140 × 35 (or 2/120 x 45 by interpolation)

RAS = A/2 x B/2 A = Length of Room B = 4.4 m

= 4.40/2 x 2.6 /2 B = Length of Rafter (calculated previously –see p. 2.13)
= 2598, say 2600
= 2.2 x 1.3 = 2.86 m2

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prepared by B. Nikulski © 2.6E.3

 CPC40120 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction
Unit 4010 – Structural Principles for Residential & Commercial Construction – TFC
ROOF FRAMING – STRUTTING BEAMS – EXPLANATION
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

b) LONGITUDINAL STRUTTING BEAM in room C1.

Following the above procedure: –

Table 27

➢ ROOFING Tiles (given in Specification)

➢ RAS 2.015 m2 (see working-out below)

➢ SPAN 3100 (length of room C1)

SIZE REQUIRED 2/140 × 45 (or 2/170 x 35 – more economical)

RAS = A/2 x B/2 A = Length of Room C1 = 3.1 m

= 3.10/2 x 2.6 /2 B = Length of Rafter = 2600 (see above)

= 1.55 x 1.3 = 2.015 m2 (use 2 m2)

c) COMBINED STRUTTING/ HANGING BEAM in room C with opposing struts i.e. supports the
underpurlin struts from rooms C1 and C2.

Note – Fig. 7.22 (cl. 7.3.9, p. 102/103 of AS1684.2) gives information and visual
explanation for combined Strutting/Hanging Beams.

Underpurlin
'A'

'B'
Rafter

Roof strut

Ceiling
joist
ing an
ng sp
Ha am
'x' be
Combined
strutting/ hanging
beam
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prepared by B. Nikulski © 2.6E.4

 CPC40120 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction
Unit 4010 – Structural Principles for Residential & Commercial Construction – TFC
ROOF FRAMING – STRUTTING BEAMS – EXPLANATION
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Look at table 25, read through the headings of the table and determine the required
information/ unknowns.

➢ ROOFING
➢ CLW
➢ RAS
➢ SPAN

To summarise: –

➢ ROOFING Tiles (given in Specification)

➢ CLW 2150 (determined previously – see p. 2.6)

➢ RAS 4.03 m2 (see working-out below)

➢ SPAN 3100 (length of room C1)

SIZE REQUIRED 2/190 × 45 (or 2/240 x 35 – more economical)

RAS = 2(A/2 x B/2) A = Length of Room C1 = 3.1 m

= 2(3.10/2 x 2.6 /2) B = Length of Rafter = 2600 (calculated previously)

= 2(1.55 x 1.3) NOTE: There are 2 struts – each side of the roof

= 2 x 2.015 = 4.03 m2 (use 4 m2)

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prepared by B. Nikulski © 2.6E.5