Once shipping containers are done hauling goods overseas they're sold and put to use serving many new functions. Some become storage containers; some are equipped with phone and server equipment to restore communications in case of natural disasters or in distant locations and still others are modified to become mobile offices, small businesses, or homes and cabins.
When homes and buildings are built by traditional means they are required to meet engineered design standards so that the building will perform properly for any severe weather conditions that may occur in the geographic area that the building located. A result of the various climate conditions the country experiences the mandatory design criteria changes from location to location.. For example, buildings constructed in the southern portions Florida must withstand winds of 120mph - 150mph while buildings in the northern part of the country have a wind speed design criteria of 90 mph. Conversely, buildings in the northern portions of the country are designed to withstand 70 lbs. /sq. ft. - 100lbs. /sq. ft. of snow loads versus southern Florida which has no snow load criteria.
A standard shipping container is not manufactured to satisfy the occupied building design criteria for wind loads and snow loads but rather they are intended to meet the point load conditions of being stacked three to ten fully loaded units high provided the load is transferred down through the corner posts and also to carry a loaded weight of up to 70,000 lbs. When a container is modified like the side wall opened up to allow a container to mate up to another container to create a large open space, then the roof snow load can no longer be properly transmitted down through walls and onto the foundation. A properly sized €header€ or support member has to be installed on the container and this part must be properly engineered according to the load conditions for the region in which the container building will be placed.
To insure your shipping container home or building is safe, the local building authority or popularly known as €the building inspector€ is likely to ask you to provide a set of fully engineered drawings and calculations of your shipping container house/building which are sealed by a professional engineer that is certified for the state or province in which the building will be placed. You'll need an engineer experienced in this type of design, if you need a reference for someone who is very proficient in this area please contact us and we can connect you with a qualified engineer who we have worked with for many years to help you.
When homes and buildings are built by traditional means they are required to meet engineered design standards so that the building will perform properly for any severe weather conditions that may occur in the geographic area that the building located. A result of the various climate conditions the country experiences the mandatory design criteria changes from location to location.. For example, buildings constructed in the southern portions Florida must withstand winds of 120mph - 150mph while buildings in the northern part of the country have a wind speed design criteria of 90 mph. Conversely, buildings in the northern portions of the country are designed to withstand 70 lbs. /sq. ft. - 100lbs. /sq. ft. of snow loads versus southern Florida which has no snow load criteria.
A standard shipping container is not manufactured to satisfy the occupied building design criteria for wind loads and snow loads but rather they are intended to meet the point load conditions of being stacked three to ten fully loaded units high provided the load is transferred down through the corner posts and also to carry a loaded weight of up to 70,000 lbs. When a container is modified like the side wall opened up to allow a container to mate up to another container to create a large open space, then the roof snow load can no longer be properly transmitted down through walls and onto the foundation. A properly sized €header€ or support member has to be installed on the container and this part must be properly engineered according to the load conditions for the region in which the container building will be placed.
To insure your shipping container home or building is safe, the local building authority or popularly known as €the building inspector€ is likely to ask you to provide a set of fully engineered drawings and calculations of your shipping container house/building which are sealed by a professional engineer that is certified for the state or province in which the building will be placed. You'll need an engineer experienced in this type of design, if you need a reference for someone who is very proficient in this area please contact us and we can connect you with a qualified engineer who we have worked with for many years to help you.
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