Design for snow loads

This came from a recent newsletter from ACEC, Risk Management Information for Structural Engineers                June 22, 2009


How it Sometimes Works in Real Life

 

We designed a project as part of a design/build team. The superstructure was bid separately as a pre-engineered metal building. After the project was completed, the manufacturer sent a memo to the general contractor along with a map of locations where deflections should be measured when it snows. They also included recommendations as to how the contractor’s engineer should design temporary shoring to support the roof when deflections exceed a predetermined value. Unfortunately, the architect had not designed a large storage room in which to store all the shoring material. The use of the building precluded leaving the shores in place, or even installing them when/if needed. If the general contractor or SER had seen the memo before the building was constructed, a different structural system would have been selected. Art Johnson, KPFF Engineers