LobstaEata
Structural
Greetings
I am working on designing foundations and anchorages for a solar panel array on ground project in Puerto Rico where the solar panel engineer was using ASCE7-16 to develop wind forces on the panels. Note that ASCE7-16 only had a method for development on wind forces for solar panels on a roof. I've been tasked with designing the foundation based on ASCE7-22, which involves developing loads on the solar panels from scratch and then designing the foundation and anchorages to 7-22 reactions.
This has been an interesting journey, I'm rapidly finding out. While 7-16 involves developing an uplift wind pressure on the panels (with an edge factor of 1.5), similar to a roof, 7-22 involves developing a force normal to the panel and a moment, both applied to the CG of the panel. Note that MecaWind software is being used to develop the loads. That said, there are very large differences in support reactions between the two codes.
Has anyone else also found these large load increases based on the differences between codes?
I am working on designing foundations and anchorages for a solar panel array on ground project in Puerto Rico where the solar panel engineer was using ASCE7-16 to develop wind forces on the panels. Note that ASCE7-16 only had a method for development on wind forces for solar panels on a roof. I've been tasked with designing the foundation based on ASCE7-22, which involves developing loads on the solar panels from scratch and then designing the foundation and anchorages to 7-22 reactions.
This has been an interesting journey, I'm rapidly finding out. While 7-16 involves developing an uplift wind pressure on the panels (with an edge factor of 1.5), similar to a roof, 7-22 involves developing a force normal to the panel and a moment, both applied to the CG of the panel. Note that MecaWind software is being used to develop the loads. That said, there are very large differences in support reactions between the two codes.
Has anyone else also found these large load increases based on the differences between codes?
