SYSTEM III

PARTS AND TYPICAL DETAILS

SPACE FRAME
SPECIFICATIONS
SYSTEM III
PART I-GENERAL
1.1

Work Covered By This Section

A. Provide all material, labor and supervision necessary for the design,
engineering, fabrication, erection and final inspection of the steel
space frame in accordance with the contract drawings and all
provisions of the specifications.

1.2

Related Work Specified Elsewhere

A.
B.
C.

1.3

Cast in place concrete.

Structural Steel.
Skylights.

Quality Assurance
A.

Manufacturer's Qualifications
1.

2.

3.

B.

The manufacturer shall have not less than ten (10) years experience
in manufacturing steel space frame structures consisting of round
tube top and bottom chords and round tube webs and solid spherical
node design for projects of equivalent size and complexity as
required by these contract documents.
The steel space frame shall be designed, engineered and fabricated by
a single entity. In no instance will a space frame system be approved
that has been either engineered and/or fabricated by separate entities.
The manufacturer must certify in writing that materials have been
tested in accordance with certified quality assurance program and that
the manufacturer has supervised all elements of fabrication necessary
for the manufacture of the space frame and that all materials have
proven to be satisfactory for the use intended by these contract
documents.

Installer's Qualifications
1.
2.
3.

The installer shall submit evidence of skill and not less than ten (10)
years specialized experience with this product.
The installer shall be trained by the manufacturer.
This work shall not be bid by a manufacturer's representative, agent,
importer or broker and subsequently installed by a labor
subcontractor.

05165 - Guide Specifications: System III

C.

Design Criteria
1.

2.

The steel space frame shall conform to the standards and

requirements of the national, regional and local building codes
governing the project site. All drawings shall bear an
Architect/Engineer approval and seal prior to submittal.
The steel space frame shall be engineered to withstand the following:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Dead Load _____ pounds per square foot.

Live Load _____ pounds per square foot
Wind Load _____ pounds per square foot
Temperature Range _____ degrees C to _____ degrees C
Seismic Zone _____

3.

Load case combinations for analysis:

4.

Probability factors for load combinations:

5.

Applications for design loads:

a. All design loads shall be applied to the steel space frame
nodal points. No loads shall be applied to any chords or
webs except those expressly noted in the contract documents.

6.

Friction fit:
a. No components shall be secured by friction fit for projects in
Seismic Zone 2 or above.

1.4

Submittals
A.
B.
C.

D.

E.

Samples; three each of a typical tube and node with specified finish (color
match not necessary).
Test Reports; two copies of applicable testing reports.
Engineering Calculations - three copies reviewed and sealed by an
engineer registered in the state of manufacturer and/or project site if
required by code.
Shop Drawings; one each sepia and six prints reviewed and sealed by an
Architect or Engineer registered in the state of manufacturer and /or
project site if required by code.
Specifications - three each of manufacturer's published specifications to
evidence compliance with these specifications.

05165 - Guide Specifications: System III

1.5

Product Delivery, Storage and Handling

A.
B.

1.6

Project Site Conditions

A.

1.7

All tubes must be delivered, stored and installed with a protective wrap.
All nodes must be packed and wrapped during shipment and storage to
avoid damage to the finish.

If at the time of engineering and approval, accurate field dimensions are

not available, it shall be the responsibility of the general contractor to
insure field compliance with the approved dimensions.

Guarantee
A.

The manufacturer and erector shall issue the contractor/owner a full

written guarantee valid for a period of one (1) year from the end of the
erection sequence. The guarantee shall protect against any defects that
may arise from the manufacturer and/or installation of the steel space
frame structure.

PART II-PRODUCTS
2.1

Acceptable Manufacturer
A.

B.

C.

D.

In order to define the requirements for equality, function, sizes, gauges,

grade, colors, etc., these material specifications designate manufacturers,
brands and other pertinent data that describe the minimum product
standards of the products that conform to the project's requirements.
Products of other manufacturers may also be acceptable, provided that
such products are equivalent to or better than those specified and, further,
that use of such substitute products will not involve additional cost to the
owner due to possible required changes to accommodate them, and
provided that use of such substitute products shall not materially alter the
basic architectural design concept, and further provided that written
approval for the use of such substitute (s) is acquired from the Architect
and/or owner five days prior to bid.
The alternate (substitute) product must be a proved equivalent to that
specified by submitting technical data, test reports, samples, typical details
and comparative layout for evaluation.
The acceptance of an alternate (substitute) product is at the discretion of
the owner or his agents, whose decision shall be final.

05165 - Guide Specifications: System III

2.2

Product/Material Source
A.
B.

Steel Space Frame System III

Manufacturer:
Delta Structures, Inc.
2060 N. Janice Ave.
Melrose Park, IL 60160
Phone: (708)345-3400
Fax:
(708)345-3464
e-mail: deltastr@covad.net

2.3

Major Components
A.

B.

C.

D.
E.

F.

Nodes - All nodes shall be hot pressed spherical forgings (ASTM A563
Grade B) of solid material with the connection holes bored and tapped for
the required bolts. Compression surfaces shall be milled flat. There shall
be no superfluous holes. Nodes shall be sized per design load structural
analysis and tube connection interference criteria.
Tubes - All tube members shall be round structural steel tubing (ASTM
A500 Grade A or B) with centrally welded (E-70 TX) truncated forged
steel cones (ASTM A-668 Class A) at each end welded per AWS joint
designation B-U4a-GS. No access or finish holes shall be permitted in
structural members. Tubes shall be sized by design load structural
analysis. Access holes will exist if the product is to be hot dip galvanized,
after welding.
Bolts - All bolts shall be of Standard Dimensions as designated by the
design loads given in the structural analysis. Bolts shall meet the
requirements of either ASTM A-307, M8.8, or A-449 as required by
design and structural analysis.
Use of A325 or A490 bolts shall conform to the requirements of AISC
specifications dated November 13, 1985.
Sleeves - All spanner sleeves shall be machined from solid steel and shall
meet the requirements of ASTM A563 Grade B.
Purlin Stools - All purlin stools shall be fabricated from hot rolled steel
and shall meet the requirements of ASTM A-36. The threaded rod shall
meet the requirements of A307.
Seat Fittings - All seat fittings shall be fabricated from ASTM A-36 steel.

05165 - Guide Specifications: System III

2.4

Finish
A.

B.

C.

D.

The finish of all nodes, tubes purlin stools and seat fittings shall be
manufacturer's standard "PERMA COLOR"; further, such finish shall be
the color as selected by the Architect.
All components shall be cleaned, base coated and oven dried. Then, an
electro-deposited polyester powder coating of the selected color shall be
applied and oven baked for a smooth, uniform color and surface
appearance, or a catalyzed polyurethane liquid finish.
Finish Performance Powder Coat - Gloss 60 degree--80-95 per ASTM
D523-78. Hardness to equal pencil H to 4H. Flexibility to equal 1/8"
conical mandrel-passes, no cracking per ASTM 522-60. Direct/reverse
impact shall be up to 160 inch-pounds per ASTM D2794-74. Adhesion
shall be 5A or 5B rating tape adhesion by method A or B of ASTM
D3359-79. Abrasions shall be 40-60 MG taber abraser SC-10, 1,000-gram
load, 1,000 cycles. Humidity shall be 2,000 hours with no blistering or
other failure per ASTM D2247-73. Five percent (5%) salt spray shall
yield no face rust and 1/8" creepage after 1,000 hours per ASTM B117-79.
De-ionized water immersion shall yield no more than 1/8" peel back from
scribe marks when tape adhesion is performed 15 minutes after removal
from 3 hours immersion in 23 degree C de- ionized water. Weather-ometer shall yield an 85% gloss retention after 500 hours with no other
change.
All bolts, except for A490, will be electro- galvanized. A-490 bolts shall
be Cadmium plated.

PART III-EXECUTION
3.1

Examination
A.

3.2

The erector shall examine the space frame supports, work areas and
conditions under which the space frame work is to be installed prior to
assembly and erection. If the supports, area or conditions are
unsatisfactory, erection shall not proceed until satisfactory corrections
have been made.

Erection
A.
B.

Erection shall be accomplished by a fully trained and factory authorized

erector in accordance with Part 1.3 B.
Erection of the steel space frame and related accessories shall be in
complete accordance with the space frame manufacturer's erection
drawings as approved by the Architect and as directed by the
manufacturer's recommendations.

05165 - Guide Specifications: System III

C.

D.
E.

F.

G.
H.

3.3

Clean- up
A.

B.

3.4

Upon completion of this section of work, remove all protective wraps,

leave all work and work areas clean and in satisfactory condition. Clean
and/or repair any litter or damage due to space frame erection.
Touch-Up Paints - Immediately after assembly, apply air-dry touch-up
paint to members whose finish was damaged during material handling
and/or erection of the space frame.

Protection
A.

B.
C.

3.5

Tubes and nodes shall be assembled into their final configuration either
from scaffolding staged at the final location or assembled in a temporary
location and hoisted into the final position.
All framing work shall be true to line, level and plumb.
Adequate care shall be taken during the erection sequences to insure
members are not positioned by force or erected in such a manner that
cause secondary stresses.
Tightening of tube member bolts shall be accomplished correctly in order
that the spanner sleeve rests flush on the compression surface of the cone
and node
Adequate temporary bracing and supports shall be provided to insure the
space frame stability during erection.
Completed space frame shall comply with approved erection tolerances
and shop drawing requirements.

During the erection and until inspection, it shall be the responsibility of

the space frame installer to protect the space the space frame from
damage.
The installer shall remove all bent or distorted members and replace with
new, undamaged members.
Upon completion and inspection (3.5), it shall be the responsibility of the
general contractor to protect the space frame damage during the remainder
of the construction of the project and until owner acceptance.

Inspection
A.
The completed steel space frame structure shall undergo a full and
complete final inspection by a duly trained representative of the manufacturer and
shall be certified by the manufacturer that the finished product has been
manufactured and erected in accordance with the manufacturer's approved
erection drawings and these contract documents.

END OF SECTION
05165 - Guide Specifications: System III
12/02