Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 43 views

    Risk of Canopy Collapse Following Snowfall

    Uploaded by

    Nigelllewellyn1
    Several school canopies recently collapsed following snowfall due to insufficient structural strength to withstand snow loading. Two common canopy designs - cantilevered and pillared - were affected. It is recommended that schools check canopy designs conform to relevant snow loading standards, and consider employing a structural engineer to survey canopies if structural integrity cannot be confirmed. Proper consideration of snow loading is important to prevent injury from canopy collapse.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Risk of Canopy Collapse Following Snowfall

    Uploaded by

    Nigelllewellyn1
    43 views2 pages
    Several school canopies recently collapsed following snowfall due to insufficient structural strength to withstand snow loading. Two common canopy designs - cantilevered and pillared - were affected. It is recommended that schools check canopy designs conform to relevant snow loading standards, and consider employing a structural engineer to survey canopies if structural integrity cannot be confirmed. Proper consideration of snow loading is important to prevent injury from canopy collapse.

    Original Description:

    Snow loads on Canopies

    Original Title

    canopycollapsesnow-hsman5cdocsa003

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Several school canopies recently collapsed following snowfall due to insufficient structural strength to withstand snow loading. Two common canopy designs - cantilevered and pillared - were affected. It is recommended that schools check canopy designs conform to relevant snow loading standards, and consider employing a structural engineer to survey canopies if structural integrity cannot be confirmed. Proper consideration of snow loading is important to prevent injury from canopy collapse.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    43 views2 pages

    Risk of Canopy Collapse Following Snowfall

    Uploaded by

    Nigelllewellyn1
    Several school canopies recently collapsed following snowfall due to insufficient structural strength to withstand snow loading. Two common canopy designs - cantilevered and pillared - were affected. It is recommended that schools check canopy designs conform to relevant snow loading standards, and consider employing a structural engineer to survey canopies if structural integrity cannot be confirmed. Proper consideration of snow loading is important to prevent injury from canopy collapse.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 2

    Reference: SchSA 001

    Risk of Canopy Collapse


    Following Snowfall
    SAFETY ALERT

    Canopies are important structural features in schools as they not only provide shelter from
    the rain and protection from the sun, enabling break time activities to continue safely, but
    they also offer the possibility of extended classrooms.
    However, there have been several cases recently reported by other councils of canopies
    collapsing following the snowfalls that we should now have come to expect over our winter
    months.
    Two types of canopy have been affected in these reported cases. The canopies have been
    of different designs and some were installed not long before the incident occurred. What is
    common amongst all of these canopies is that the snow loading was insufficient and they
    were therefore structurally unsafe in winter conditions. Details and pictures of two of these
    canopies are shown below.

    Cantilevered Canopy:
    The cantilevered style of canopy is fixed directly to the building for support and has no
    supporting pillars. In this case some of the actual cantilevered supports have collapsed
    and in other areas just the canopy itself.

    Pillared Canopy:
    This particular style of canopy and has its own supporting columns. The canopy in this
    case was only fitted in the preceding summer.

    Revision Summary Revision Number Revision Issue Date File Name/Author Page of Total Pages
    First issued Sept 2011 - - SchSA001/AS Page 1 of 2
    The front edge beams of the canopy deflected excessively under the snow loading and
    buckled. Columns were not sufficiently robust and also buckled under the load leading to
    the collapse of part of the structure.

    The connections between the beam and column members, which were formed by the side
    of the beam being riveted to the face of the column appeared to have sheared as a
    consequence of the rotation of the joint as the beams deflected.

    Fortunately, in both of the above cases, nobody was injured.

    Structural Standards for snow loading:

    Canopies should conform to British Standard BS6399-3 and European Standard EN1991-
    1-3:2003 for calculating snow loading on flat/pitched roofs and Eurocode 1 Parts 1-3. The
    Eurocode should be used in preference to the British Standard.

    Recommended Actions:

    If you are planning to install a canopy on your premises, ensure that the contractor
    provides evidence to confirm that the design and build conforms to the above standards
    for snow loading. This requirement should be covered in the initial planning meetings
    preceding the construction phase.

    If installation of a canopy is to be included as part of a notifiable project under the


    Construction (Design) Management (CDM) Regulations, the Designer should account for
    the relevant standards in their design and the CDM Co-ordinator should monitor this
    compliance on your behalf. However, it is the clients duty to ensure that competent
    persons are employed in these roles. For projects carried out independently, the school is
    the client.

    For those schools with existing canopies, it is recommended that you check your
    construction safety files to confirm adherence to the relevant standards or failing this ask
    the original contractor, if details known, to return and provide evidence and suggest
    remedial actions if necessary.

    If information to substantiate the structural stability of the canopy cannot be found or you
    are otherwise in doubt, it is recommended that you employ the services of a structural
    engineer to carry out a survey of the canopy e.g. via LB Hounslows Corporate Property
    Services

    NB. It is not just the accumulative affect of normal snowfall building up that should be
    considered when accounting for snow loading, but also the affect of snow falling off the
    main roof onto the canopy with sudden impact.

    Revision Summary Revision Number Revision Issue Date File Name/Author Page of Total Pages
    First issued Sept 2011 - - SchSA001/AS Page 2 of 2

    You might also like