Portal steel trusses vs. portal steel frames for long-span industrial buildings

Portal frames and portal truss structures are two of the most cost-effective and sustainable structural forms for the design and construction of long-span industrial buildings. Although the use of both structure types as steel-clad structures is widely accepted, due to frame complexity and variation of frame types for use in single-storey buildings with spans > 30 m, literature providing a comprehensive investigation of the concepts of portal trusses and portal frames is scarce. This study compares the behaviour of a portal truss configuration with pitched portal frames for use in industrial buildings with spans > 30 m, focusing on weight, costs and construction time. Furthermore, this study entails a numerical investigation that utilizes the SAP2000 computer program to model and structurally optimize the member properties for both portal frame and portal truss configurations. Based on the results obtained from the investigation, it has become apparent that, due to the smaller sections used, the portal truss configurations are lighter and cheaper to fabricate and construct in comparison to the pitched portal frames, which, however, require a shorter construction time.