I wanted to get peoples opinion on designing for both hail and solar panels(PV) now that the NCC requires all warehouses to be designed for PV panels.
Following a number of warehouse collapses after a hail storm in Sydney, the ACSE released guidance for hail loading on roofs. The guidance basically suggests increasing the AS1170 specified live load for roof pitches under 5 deg, with the theory being that hail will slip off steeper roofs.
With the whole roof now required to be designed for PV panels, I am worried that the assumption the hail will slip off is no longer valid if the PV panels are installed, as the panels will stop the hail sliding off.
I am designing a warehouse with a roof pitch of 5 deg and trying to decide if we should recommend to the client that we design for hail loads (obviously increasing costs).
Following a number of warehouse collapses after a hail storm in Sydney, the ACSE released guidance for hail loading on roofs. The guidance basically suggests increasing the AS1170 specified live load for roof pitches under 5 deg, with the theory being that hail will slip off steeper roofs.
With the whole roof now required to be designed for PV panels, I am worried that the assumption the hail will slip off is no longer valid if the PV panels are installed, as the panels will stop the hail sliding off.
I am designing a warehouse with a roof pitch of 5 deg and trying to decide if we should recommend to the client that we design for hail loads (obviously increasing costs).
