Snow and Structures
Snow and StructuresWinter storms across the west have brought on some serious issues for farmers and ranchers.
There have been mudslides, flooding and in many places - more snow dumping on them than they can keep up with.
Katie Wantoch is an Ag Extension agent and says when it comes to heavy snow amounts, be sure to add checking your structures to the chore list.
Most buildings are not at risk of snow induced failure. More
often than not, attempting to remove snow from a roof is more
hazardous than beneficial, posing a risk to both personnel and
the roofing structure. However, snow accumulation in excess of building
design conditions can result in more than a temporary loss of electrical
power and inaccessible roads. Buildings may be vulnerable to structural
failure and possible collapse if basic preventative steps are not taken in
advance of a snow event. Knowledge of the building roof framing system
1-2 SNOW LOAD SAFETY GUIDE
and proper preparation in advance of a snow event is instrumental in
reducing risk to the structure.
Structural failure due to roof snow loads may be linked to several possible
causes, including but not limited to the following:
n Actual snow load significantly exceeds design snow load
n Drifting and sliding snow conditions
n Deficient workmanship
n Insufficient operation and maintenance
n Improper design
n Inadequate drainage design
n Insufficient design; in older buildings, insufficient design is often
related to inadequate snow load design criteria in the building
code in effect when the building was designed.