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Design Considerations
Intended Application of the Cable Tension Structure
Shade canopies are utilized for a variety of different purposes which affect the design, size, code requirements, material components, construction methods, color and cost of the completed structure. Failure to recognize and understand the end use for which the canopy is intended may result in failure to achieve the intended goal, structural collapse or excessive costs.
The reasons that people consider the purchase and installation of a cable tension structure include
Visual impact to attract customers. The sale of any product or service can be extremely competitive when that service or product can be readily obtained from a variety of sources. Consequently, property owners strive to differentiate their operation from others through location, curb appeal, signage, multi-channel advertising, and product promotions and incentives. Shade covers attract attention through the use of bright colors and innovative designs, enticing customers with the promise of a pleasant, protected haven in which to conduct business.
Improved Customer Comfort. The temperatures reached in the interiors of vehicles exposed to the direct rays of blazing sun in summer and early fall can exceed 150°F. Open parking lots with their broad expanses of asphalt and concrete are particularly vulnerable because their surface radiate the heat upward. A shade canopy shields an auto from the fiery sun and allows a cool breeze to waft away the heat.
Better Employee Relations. Covered parking is frequently expected as one of the "perk’s" that employees expect, particularly in the torrid temperatures of the Western States. In addition, community standards regarding smoking have forced people outside where they often congregate around entry and exit points. Rain and shade canopies enable employers and property owners to provide an outdoor rest area that is sheltered and inviting.
Avoidance of Physical and Financial Loss. Violent storms, specifically hail events, have become more frequent and violent in recent years. As insurance companies increase deductibles and raise premiums, business owners — from auto dealers to fast food restaurant owners — have utilized cable tension structures to add protection or to replace other building materials that are vulnerable to hail strikes. Heat-sensitive inventories experience greater spoilage if stored without cover. Shade covers are an effective, less expensive solution than structures of traditional materials.
Dependable Electronics Performance. Electronic instruments are unusually vulnerable to high ambient temperatures and become unreliable during periods of heat exposure. Aircraft avionics, communication and computer equipment, as well as digital devices of all kinds suffer performance dips when temperatures get excessive. Shade canopies are in use throughout the northern hemisphere to screen valuable equipment
and assets.
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Case studies
Attract Customers
Protect Inventory
Employee & Customer
Comfort
Avoid Physical Loss
(Hail & UV Damage)
Maintain Electronic Equipment |
Location Factors
The location of the proposed shade structure will affect
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general requirements such as applicable construction code requirements to which the structure must conform; the cost, procedures and time necessary to receive a building permit from the building authorities; and the likely weather conditions to which the canopy will be subjected during its life. The building code requirements are often influenced by the size of the community and its prior experience with cable tension structure. Population also affects the size and experience of the licensing authority and the time interval between application and receipt of a building permit. Expected weather conditions, however, are the single biggest factor to impact the design of a shade canopy. The number of sunny days in a year; typical wind speeds that usually occur annually; and the frequency, type and amounts of average precipitation often dictate the design of the structure, the required sizes of the structural components, and the composition of the membrane or fabric used in the canopy top.
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specific site conditions including property zoning laws, the presence of overhead obstructions, the willingness of local utilities to grant site waivers, soil conditions, the location of underground pipe and utility lines, and finally, working conditions including access and egress to the site, availability of dump areas for pier spoils and storage areas for equipment and materials, the hours for which the work area will be available to the work crews. Security concerns are particularly important, especially for sites owned, controlled or used by governmental entities.
Building Dimensions
Cable tension canopies are used to provide weather protection for employees, customers, and property. Their intended use will affect the length, width and height of the structure as well as the entry distance between the ground and the edge of the canopy top. For example, shade structures intended to shield automobiles differ substantially from those used to cover employees relaxing in an outdoor rest area, semi-trucks and trailers being loaded at a distribution center, or jet fighter planes waiting on the flight line of an Air Force base.
Weather conditions impact the “look” and the dimensions of a shade structure. The “pitch” of the structure, i.e. the degree of slope between the highest point and the maximum coverage area, is affected by the severity of winds and the amount of snow loads which the structure must handle—the stresses and load demands on a level structure vary enormously from a surface with a high degree of pitch.
Finally, personal preferences affect the overall footprint and scale of the building. Consider a shade canopy used for automobile protection. The average American car is 6.5 feet wide, 16.25 feet long, and has a height from the ground of less than 5 feet. The dimensions of shade canopies used for covered parking range from 9 feet to 10 feet in width, 18 feet to 22 feet in length with entry heights ranging from 8 feet to 10 feet. Of course, the larger the space allocated per car, the larger the structure required.
The overall height of the building may be affected by the purchaser’s intended purpose for the structure. For example, a canopy intended to attract prospective customers might span to a pinnacle or use several sails, each design intended to create an aura of excitement and energy. A canopy intended to protect an inventory from hail damage is usually more conservative with simple lines and no frills.
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Airplane Canopies
