A full-scale study of wind loads on agricultural ridged canopy roof structures and proposals for design

Abstract Full-scale measurements have been made under natural wind conditions to ascertain the wind loads on the canopy roofs of two modern ridged roof Dutch barns. The two barns were of different geometries and representative of those currently produced in the UK. Measurements were made with the barns in the empty state, and with various arrangements of material stored internally. Detailed results are given in the form of pressure coefficients describing the wind loads generated over the two canopy roofs and the internal blockages by winds approaching from various directions. Comparisons with the results show that the pressure coefficients given in the British Standard Code of Practice CP3 “Code of basic data for the design of buildings, Chap. V, Part 2, 1972, Wind loads” are unsatisfactory for the design of ridged canopy roof structures. Simplifications of the detailed experimental data are proposed which may be used with the existing procedures of the Code of Practice CP3 for the design of canopy roof structures of a size and geometry which fall within those of the two Dutch barns employed in the experiments.