Arched buildings have many uses

Press, 11 May 1984, Page 18

Arched buildings have many uses

Buildings constructed with arched roof trusses are becoming popular on Canterbury farms and industrial sites. According to the manufacturer, Aabaas Brothers, Ltd, of Christchurch, buildings with arched roof trusses are simple to design and construct and can be used for a wide variety of purposes. Arched buildings are

being used for woolsheds and covered yards, industrial stores and even aircraft hangers, according to Mr Vince van den Dorpe, of Aabaas Brothers. The arches are assembled on a jig which can handle spans up to 40m. When used as a woolshed, an arched building has plenty of width for a raised board and sheep return race or chute. Other uses include horticulture, implement sheds, workshops, haybarns and sheds for housing animals, such as pigs, poultry and horses. The 10-metre span building, with a height of 4.25 m at the eaves, can store 1000 bales of hay in each bay. Because no columns are needed in the centre of the, building to support the roof, vehicles can have easy access.

Buildings with arched roof trusses are one of a series of farm buildings available in kitset form or fully built from Aabaas Brothers. The buildings are built mainly in steel.

The standard gable building is a conventional shed 9m wide. The steel trusses are built in two halves and .bolted together on site. Heights can vary from 2.4 m to 4.8 m and normal bay spacings are 4.5 m. Extra bays can be added later, or a lean-to can be built to one side.

Lean-to buildings built by Aabaas Brothers have a clear roof span from 6m to 10m and the height of the back wall can vary from 2.4 m to 4.8 m. Two lean-to buildings can be fitted together to form a covered yard.

A woolshed and covered yards built with arched roof trusses on a farm at West Melton. Because they have no centre poles to support the roof, arched buildings have a wide variety of uses in agriculture, horticulture and industry, according to the manufacturers, Aabaas Brothers, Ltd.