Making an Informed Decision--Part 7
Oct
26
Written by:
10/26/2011 6:46 AM
Part six explained how the use and occupancy ratings used during the design process can affect strength from one manufacturer to another.
In this post I will explain how some manufacturers use the fabric strength to contribute to meeting the snow and wind load requirements.
Some manufacturers rely on the fabric to give the building trusses lateral strength. This allows them to reduce the size of the truss members and the amount of bracing in the structures. This in turn reduces the cost of the building. The strength of the building can then be compromised if the fabric becomes damaged or if snow/wind loads are uneven, which is a common occurrence.
Structures Unlimited uses strong steel bracing systems to secure the trusses. Our designs do not rely on the fabric cover to brace the truss chords, and do not use the fabric cover in calculating snow and wind load strengths. Our buildings are designed to meet all wind and snow load requirements based on adequate internal bracing.
When comparing manufacturers, be sure that the snow and wind load calculations are based on internal bracing only.