Healthcare Facility

The client, a community-based health care center and hospital, needed to expand their existing cancer therapy center. Utilizing trusses with curved top chords was clearly the preferred system that offered several advantages. The use of steel joists and hot-rolled steel shapes provided the optimal balance of low-cost, ease and speed of construction, ability for efficient long spans and potential for uniquely dimensioned structures. In particular, the high depth span ratio of the circular top chord joists dictated by the architectural requirements allowed for very light joists that could effectively resist gravity loads and wind uplift loading. Also, the structural engineers were very confident that joists would be easier and more economical and quicker to fabricate and ship than primary roof trusses fabricated from hot-rolled shapes in option.