Long-Span Construction

Published February 2000

Refers to the structural design of buildings in which the unsupported length of horizontal beams (between columns) is greater than 50 feet. The unsupported span may be up to 200 feet long, but typical long-span structures feature unsupported beam lengths from 50 to 70 feet. Long-span structures typically use steel trusses instead of beams. The principal benefit of long-span construction is more column-free open space for flexibility. The cost of this flexibility lies in the use of more expensive trusses and the loss of vertical space.