Snow Loads [RE-wrenches]

[Chris Anderson]

We are experiencing many architects and structural engineers being 
concerned with snow loads and snow drifts resulting from the 
installation of solar modules being installed onto an existing building 
roof, mostly concerned with commercial flat roofs.  How do you all 
handle snow loads for flat commercial roof mounts where the snow from a 
large tilted array could theoretically slip off and accumulate at the 
front of the array and/or where the tilted array captures snow and a 
snow drift accumulates under the arrays? 

Technically, these piles of snow create more of a point load versus 
having the fallen snow accumulate evenly over the entire roof.  If the 
existing building’s roof structure was designed to meet minimum loading 
req’ts per Bldg Code, will this redistribution of snow adversely affect 
the roof?  If the front/bottom of the tilted array is 12” or more off 
the roof, will the wind blow the snow from behind the array thru this 
opening, thus NOT creating a snow drift?  What’s the reality of this 
situation?

Chris


- - - -
Hosted by Home Power magazine

To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://lists.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/read

List rules & how to change your email address: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquette.php

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
--^----------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent to: michael.welch at re-wrenches.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit:
http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER
--^----------------------------------------------------------------