Full-scale testing of film plastic-clad structures

Full-scale testing of film plastic-clad structures by the Buildings and Livestock Division, Agricultural and Food Research Council (AFRC) Institute of Engineering Research has provided information useful for design (Hoxey and Richardson, 1984; Richardson, 1985; Richardson, 1986; Richardson and Westgate, 1986). This information includes tables of pressure coefficients for tunnel shaped, film plastic-clad structures (see Table 2). Comparing these pressure coefficients with those for rectangular rigid structures (see Tables 3 and 4) there is no obvious relationship, and therefore the BSI CP3 Code is not applicable to plastic-clad emergency structures with different shapes. AFRC Institute of Engineering Research has the necessary expertise to design plastic clad emergency structures with particular attention to the method of load transfer from cladding to structure and from structure to the ground. Foundation failure is a common cause of building collapse under wind action (Robertson, 1 988).

Table 2

Pressure coefficients C_pe for curved roofs of film plastic covered greenhouses (Single-span)

Table 3

Pressure coefficients C_pe for vertical walls of rectangular clad buildings

Table 4

Pressure coefficients C_pe on roofs of rectangular clad buildings

Note: The pressure coefficient on the underside of any roof overhang should be taken as that on the adjoining wall surface The coefficient for a low-pitch monopitch roof should be taken as -1.0