PEB Design Fundamentals: Understanding Main Components and Workflow

When it comes to designing Pre-Engineered Buildings (PEB), understanding the main components and the overall workflow is key to delivering strong, efficient, and cost-effective structures. Let’s break down the basics in a straightforward way.

Main Components of a PEB First up, the backbone of any PEB is the primary framing system, usually made up of rigid steel frames. These frames carry the main loads and define the building’s shape and size. Attached to these frames are secondary members—purlins (running along the roof) and girts (along the walls). They provide support for the roof and wall panels and transfer loads back to the primary frames.

Next, we have the roof and wall cladding, typically made from insulated metal panels or sheets. These protect the building from the elements and contribute to thermal efficiency. Don’t forget the foundations, which must be designed to support the frame loads and anchor the building securely to the ground.

Workflow of PEB Design The design process begins with understanding your project requirements: building dimensions, usage, local weather conditions, and load factors like wind or seismic activity. Then, the structural engineer lays out the primary frame design, specifying beam sizes, column heights, and frame spacing.

Once the primary frames are set, the secondary members are designed to span between them, ensuring proper load transfer and stability. After that, engineers select the appropriate cladding materials, insulation levels, and roofing profiles.

The final step includes detailing connections—how the frames join to foundations, and how purlins and girts attach to frames. Good connection design is critical for structural integrity and ease of assembly on site.

If you want to dive deeper and get hands-on with design principles, calculations, and real-world workflows, check out Bhadani’s “Design of PEB” course. It’s crafted for engineers and managers seeking to master PEB design fundamentals with practical guidance and industry best practices.