Calculation sheet

Subject J ob Rev. Date Sheet

/ 0 2012/05 1 of 6

ING. ANDREA STARNINI
Cantilever sun screen collapsed
under snow load
Compiled by ing. Andrea Starnini









Index:


1. Abstract...................................................................................................................................2
2. Preliminary study.....................................................................................................................2
3. Snow load and structure static model......................................................................................4
4. Finite elements study..............................................................................................................5






Calculation sheet
Subject J ob Rev. Date Sheet
/ 0 2012/05 2 of 6

ING. ANDREA STARNINI
Cantilever sun screen collapsed
under snow load
Compiled by ing. Andrea Starnini


1. Abstract
The aim of this job is to analyze a simple cantilever structure collapsed under snow load.
The sunscreen was located on the centre of Italy (south east of Tuscany) where during J anuary 2012
there was an heavy snowfall that caused the structure collapse.
To elaborate 3D FE analysis the software used is Roshazpre and post processor with Calculix solver.
Instead to elaborate 1D FE analysis the software used is ProSAP5.0 free entry version limited to 150
nodes.

2. Preliminary study
From the pictures is clear that the collapse was due to a local buckling on the cantilever, about 300 mm
above the clamped section.
In fact the sunscreen net has not torn and an a snow accumulation caused a load growing, above all on
the central span.
Calculation sheet
Subject J ob Rev. Date Sheet
/ 0 2012/05 3 of 6

ING. ANDREA STARNINI
Cantilever sun screen collapsed
under snow load
Compiled by ing. Andrea Starnini





Calculation sheet
Subject J ob Rev. Date Sheet
/ 0 2012/05 4 of 6

ING. ANDREA STARNINI
Cantilever sun screen collapsed
under snow load
Compiled by ing. Andrea Starnini


3. Snow load and structure static model
For a fast study is possible to neglect the snow accumulation an to consider the net like a rigid roof.
For Italian standard D.M. 14/01/2008, the snow load related to the geographic zone, is equal to

Snow Load NTC 2008 (D.M. 14/01/2008)
q
sk
=1,00 kN/m
2
a
s
200 m snow load at the ground
Zone 2

q
sk
=1,30 kN/m
2
a
s
=350 m over the sea level
Thermal coefficient
t
C 1
Exposition coefficient:
E
C 1.1
Angle of roof inclination 0
0.8
Snow load
2
s sk E t
q q C C 1,14 kN/ m

The transverse dimension of the frame is indicated on next figure and the span is equal to 5000 mm.



Considering an effective length for apply the snow load of 4300 mm, the snow load acting on the central
cantilevers is:
s
p q 5 5,7 kN/ m
This load is too heavy for the structure and without consider a partial safety factor for the ultimate limit
state combination and neglecting the self load, the normal stress in depicted on next figure.
Clearly this kind of structure is inadequate to support a snow load and it is unsafe.
Another aspect is that economical one. In fact money saving for less material and more light foundations
maybe is less than the repair cost without considering any damage to cars.

Calculation sheet
Subject J ob Rev. Date Sheet
/ 0 2012/05 5 of 6

ING. ANDREA STARNINI
Cantilever sun screen collapsed
under snow load
Compiled by ing. Andrea Starnini



4. Finite elements study
With a simple finite element model of the lower part of the cantilever and once applied the load derived
from the 1D beam model, the third principal stress reach the maximum in a zone depicted on next figure.

This zone of stress concentration is due to the curvature of the cantilever and the buckling occurs in the
zone where the third principal stress reach high value in concordance with happened to the real
structure.
Calculation sheet
Subject J ob Rev. Date Sheet
/ 0 2012/05 6 of 6

ING. ANDREA STARNINI
Cantilever sun screen collapsed
under snow load
Compiled by ing. Andrea Starnini