Missile Impact Resistance of a Metal Mesh Roofing System
Publication: Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 18, Issue 3
Abstract
This paper presents the results of impact tests on a roof system constructed with expanded metal mesh welded to a steel frame. The roof system was designed to be installed on a masonry structure that will protect an emergency power generator at a special-needs hurricane shelter during 177 km/h winds. The structure and roof system must meet the windborne debris impact criteria for large missiles from ASTM Standards E1996-09 and E1886-05, which state that the system must resist penetration by a nominal lumber plank weighing 4.08 kg traveling at 54.7 km/h. Several impacts on the metal mesh were made by firing lumber missiles from an air cannon. The typical damage was mesh deformation and mesh tearing at the impact location and at the welds. The results showed that the tested roof system meets the impact criteria for all tested weld spacings. A smaller weld spacing of 102–229 mm was found to work best in the system, whereas a larger weld spacing of 508 or 762 mm resulted in weld failure that left the system with much less redundancy in the connections.
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Acknowledgments
This study was performed under a grant from the Florida Department of Community Affairs, Division of Emergency Management, Bureau of Preparedness and Response. The air cannon and operators were provided by the University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. The design of the Florida Department of Management Services Special Needs Shelters was done by Barkley Consulting Engineers, Inc., of Tallahassee, Florida.
References
ASTM. (2005). “Standard test method for performance of exterior windows, curtain walls, doors, and impact protective systems impacted by missile(s) and exposed to cyclic pressure differentials.” E1886-05, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2006). “Standard specification for performance of exterior windows, curtain walls, doors and impact protective systems impacted by windborne debris in hurricanes.” E1996-09, West Conshohocken, PA.
Cook, R. A., Gurley, K. R., and Harrell, G. L. (2000a). “Missile impact tests: Vulcraft 1.5B18 and 1.5B22 metal roof deck.” Structures Research Rep. No. 2000-2, Engineering and Industrial Experiment Station, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Cook, R. A., Gurley, K. R., and Harrell, G. L. (2000b). “Missile impact tests: 6-inch and 8-inch ASTM C90 concrete masonry walls.” Structures Research Rep. No. 2000-3, Engineering and Industrial Experiment Station, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Coulbourne, W. L., Tezak, E. S., and McAllister, T. P. (2002). “Design guidelines for community shelters for extreme wind events.” J. Archit. Eng., 8(2), 69–77.
Minor, J. E. (2005). “Lessons learned from failures of the building envelope in windstorms.” J. Archit. Eng., 11(1), 10–13.
Yazdani, N., Green, P. S., and Haroon, S. A. (2006). “Large wind missile impact capacity of residential and light commercial buildings.” Pract. Period. Struct. Des. Constr., 11(4), 206–217.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 18 • Issue 3 • September 2012
Pages: 199 - 205
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 10, 2010
Accepted: Sep 16, 2011
Published online: Sep 18, 2011
Published ahead of production: Nov 18, 2011
Published in print: Sep 1, 2012
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