Roof Collapses and last week's East Coast USA Snow

[DaveVikingPE]

Doesn't anyone design for snow loads any more?

A school? A Toy Store? A large retail outlet? A smoker's pavillion?

http://www.nbc4.com/news/1997936/detail.html

http://www.nbc4.com/news/1997887/detail.html

http://www.theiowachannel.com/news/1997950/detail.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/18/winter/main540920.shtml

 

[LPPE]

Ron - Good point. I stand somewhat corrected!

 

[Rich2001]

I thought this might be of interest.

The collapse of the Borders Book Store in Newark, Delaware, during a severe winter storm in January of 1996.

http://www.sbcmag.info/past/2001/01nov/borders.htm

The caused - The open web bar joists involved in the collapse had been poorly manufactured and the defective welds involved simply failed to sustain the loads transmitted thereon.

 

[JedClampett]

I have a buddy who's an insurance agent. He told me about a claim where a tenant in a building used as a garage cut out the bottom chords of the joists to fit in some equipment. The owner of the building wanted the repairs paid for. (My buddy didn't pay the claim.)
My point is that before we are too hasty in blaming the building design, let's wait for the investigation. While it could be a bad design, there are a several other reasons like bad construction, materials (see post above)and owner misuse which might of caused or contributed to the failure.

 

[Watermelon]

Right on Uncle Jed. All men are innocent until proven guilty.

 

[DanT]

12 inch deep water is 62.4 lbs/SF.
I think my rafter tables were based on span/something max deflection with max stress in parentheses. The few buildings I have seen collapse were either damaged from rot or not built to code.

 

[trainguy]

Wrightguy,

You're absolutely wright! My mistake...