Very Tall Wire Mesh Partition

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Author Message William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: wpegues Post Number: 925 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - 03:20 pm:    I have a requirement for an electric utility enclosure where a 50 foot tall wire mesh partition is required (its exterior). I have looked around at some of the manufacturers and most go to 20 feet, found one that goes to 40 feet. Anyone have any suggestions? There are no products or manufacturer's suggested, its just 'what they want'. Thanks! William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS, SCIP Affiliate WDG Architecture, Washington, DC | Dallas, TX Dave Metzger Senior Member Username: davemetzger Post Number: 546 Registered: 07-2001 Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - 03:50 pm:    William: I suggest coordinating with your structural engineer to design galvanized steel framing that is subdivided both vertically and horizontally. The horizontal framing would then support the framing system for the wire mesh partitions. That way the wire mesh framing has minimum wind load to resist, and can be a more reasonable size. Is there some redundancy in this?--yeah, probably. But the point is to minimize customization of the wire mesh partition system. J. Peter Jordan Senior Member Username: jpjordan Post Number: 785 Registered: 05-2004 Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2014 - 05:14 pm:    Do you really need a wire mesh system or would a vinyl-coated chain link fence do the trick? Mr. Metzger's suggestion would still be valid, but the "partition" fabric would be less expensive. Richard L Matteo, AIA, CSI, CCS Senior Member Username: rlmat Post Number: 660 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 - 10:09 am:    I have to agree with Peter. For an exterior enclosure, chain link fabric would be more appropriate William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: wpegues Post Number: 926 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 - 10:33 am:    Well, there is being practical, and there is providing what the Utility Company wants. It turns out that the requirement was misunderstood (inappropriate labeling on the documents from the utility), the wire mesh type fence is a 'normal height', not a problem. But, it turns out that the 50 foot tall exterior fence with gate is a louver type fence and has a 50 foot tall 30 foot wide opening for a pair of swinging gate leaves of the same material. The fixed fence panels on either side of the gate are about 20 feet wide. Also, its noted that the system is supposed to be 'demountable'. Anyway, with a bit of digging we ran this down a bit more and it seems that they get this as a custom solution from Ametco. Ametco's product data covers this basic type of application as a louver fence, but mentions only a conventional fence height but says they do custom heights - I sure hope so!. So, we are contacting the local rep to have them come in and take a look at this. This is a pretty strange application, and I would really like to see how they solve this type thing. Essentially it is an opening in an exterior masonry wall (exterior exposure on both sides of the wall) that is about 60 feet wide or so. This opening is where the louver fence takes over that is 50 feet tall with the full height swinging gates. Regardless of wheels on the gate, I want to see how this thing will actually operate - as well as the 'practicality' of the demountable requirement. I will post follow ups as we find out more. ps - the project is an electric utility's substation. William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS, SCIP Affiliate WDG Architecture, Washington, DC | Dallas, TX John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1609 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 - 05:19 pm:    There is a neighborhood here in Boston (yes, it's really a whole neighborhood) of maintenance facilities for the transit system. It's all surrounded by 8 ft chain link fencing topped with bobbed wyah (that's barbed wire, for you non-Bostonians). Their gates are vertical lift, mounted to galvanized H-section steel. It's neat, simple, and durable.