🔹 Introduction
After understanding purlins (roof) and bracing (stability), the next key element is:
👉 Girts = horizontal wall members that support wall cladding and transfer loads to columns
They are the wall equivalent of purlins, playing a crucial role in both structural stability and exterior finish.
🔹 What Are Girts?
Girts are horizontal structural members fixed between columns along the wall height.
They:
- Support wall panels / cladding
- Transfer wind loads to columns
- Provide lateral support to columns
🔹 Types of Girts Used in German Hangars
1. 🔶 Z-Girts (Most Efficient)
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Technical Features:
- Z-shaped cold-formed section
- Can overlap at supports
Advantages:
✔ Better load distribution
✔ Continuous span capability
✔ Material-efficient
2. 🟦 C-Girts
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Technical Features:
- C-shaped section
- Simple and easy to fabricate
Trade-off:
- Less efficient than Z-girts
- Used in smaller or low-load structures
3. 📦 Angle / Built-Up Girts
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Technical Features:
- Made from angles or fabricated sections
- Used in heavy-duty or custom designs
🔹 Load Transfer Mechanism
Designed according to
Eurocode EN 1991
Load Flow:
Wall Cladding → Girts → Columns → Foundation
🔹 Structural Role of Girts
1. Wind Load Resistance 🌬️
- Main function
- Transfers lateral wind pressure to columns
2. Column Stability
- Prevents column buckling
- Acts as lateral support
3. Cladding Support
- Holds wall panels firmly
- Maintains alignment
🔹 Spacing & Layout
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Typical Spacing:
- 1.5m – 3m (depends on panel type & wind load)
Installation:
- Fixed horizontally between columns
- Connected using bolts or clips
🔹 Connection Details
🔩 Girt-to-Column Connection
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- Cleat angles or brackets
- Bolted connections
- Designed for shear + wind uplift
🔹 Additional Components
🧵 Sag Rods / Bridging
- Connect girts
- Prevent bending/twisting
🧱 Wall Cladding Types
- Sandwich panels
- Metal sheets
- Insulated panels
🔹 Design Considerations
1. Wind Pressure (Critical)
- Especially important in open/industrial zones
- Pune outskirts may experience high wind exposure
2. Deflection Control
- Excess deflection → panel damage
- Proper spacing & section selection required
3. Corrosion Protection
- Galvanized steel
- Coatings for durability
🔹 Common Failures (If Poorly Designed)
- Wall panel deformation
- Girt bending or buckling
- Connection failure
- Corrosion damage
🔹 Why German Girt Systems Are Superior
✔ Optimized cold-formed sections
✔ Efficient overlapping systems
✔ Precision installation
✔ Designed under Eurocode EN 1991
🔹 Final Insight
Girts may seem like simple wall members, but they are:
👉 Essential for transferring wind loads and maintaining wall integrity
In German hangars:
- Walls are not just coverings
- They are part of a fully engineered system