5/4/2018 What is a canopy and which wind forces should I use to design?

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What is a canopy and which wind forces

should I use to design?

Note: Updated March 2018 in response to 3 negative user feedback comments for more information.
Please thumb this up!

A canopy is a structure which provides overhead protection from the elements such as rain, snow, or
sunlight. Canopies can be attached to a structure or they can be free standing with their own supports.
They can be constructed of a variety of materials including steel, concrete, aluminum, wood, or even
fabric. According to ASCE 7-10, canopies are to be designed to resist wind loads, roof live loads, dead
loads, snow loads, rain loads, seismic loads, wind-on-ice loads, and weight of ice loads.

ASCE 7-10 permits canopies to be designed for wind loading using equations for Open Buildings or
Other Structures and Building Appurtenances depending on a variety of factors to be discussed further
below. In order to determine the applied wind pressures, ASCE 7-10 has a variety of factors that affect
wind loading such as wind speed, risk category, exposure category, flow type, etc. The code requires us
to apply all of the aforementioned loads simultaneously, however we are allowed to reduce these loads
based upon the load combinations specified in ASCE 7 and design our system based on the least
favorable loading scenario applied in all directions.

Along with ASCE 7-10, canopies are designed in conjunction with the governing building code in the
municipality in which the project is located [i.e. Florida Building Code Sixth Edition (2017) or the 2018
International Building Code] which can contain other design limitations such as allowable member
deflections and the newer use of ASCE 7-16 which is forthcoming and has many additions to the below.

Free Standing

Free standing canopies are self-supporting roof systems without walls such as pavilions or walkway
covers. These structures are designed using the Open Buildings portion of ASCE 7-10. The wind flow for
these structures can either be clear or obstructed depending on obstructions below the roof. Obstructed
wind flow is considered when 50% or more of the area below the surface of the roof is composed of
objects inhibiting wind flow such as a canopy atop a concrete basin at a wastewater treatment plant.
Canopies with less than 50% obstructions below the roof surface would be considered clear.
Components & cladding and MWFRS (main wind force resisting system) wind loading are used to design
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the different elements of these structures. See ASCE 7 Main Wind Force vs. Components & Cladding
Explained (MWFRS vs. C&C) for a description on when to apply C&C vs. MWFRS wind loading.

Host Attached

Host attached canopies rely on the superstructure for stability such as suspended canopies, louvered
roofs, or fabric awnings. Wind loading on host attached canopies depends on the size of the canopy in
relation to the superstructure and its location on the building. There is a new section in ASCE 7-16 called
Attached Canopies on Buildings which address wind loading on these structures. However due to the
lack of provisions in ASCE 7-10, host attached canopies are designed using the Roof Overhangs
sections of the code. When the canopy is small in respect to the building which is common in commercial
applications (see image below), the canopy is to be designed as a Roof Overhang Component. Wind
tunnel tests (see images below) have confirmed that the entire canopy should be designed using C+C
wind loading.

Roof Overhang Components

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5/4/2018 What is a canopy and which wind forces should I use to design? - Engineering Express®

MWFRS Roof Overhangs

When the canopy is similar in size to the building which is common in residential applications (see image
below), the canopy is to be designed for MWFRS Roof Overhang wind loading.

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5/4/2018 What is a canopy and which wind forces should I use to design? - Engineering Express®

Trellises and Sunshades

Trellises and sunshades are porous which allow wind/rain/snow to pass through them and are utilized to
reduce sunlight. The porous nature of these roofs doesn’t allow a pressure differential to occur between
the opposing faces of the roof surface and therefore are designed using the Other Structures and
Building Appurtenances portions of ASCE 7-10. These wind pressures are applied vertically and laterally
to the structure to develop the least favorable loading conditions. In addition, trellises and sunshades are
required to resist a 300-pound concentrated load placed anywhere on the structure to simulate a
maintenance worker standing on the roof surface.

Article provided and updated by Zachary A. Rubin, E.I.

 Mar 28, 2016  2069  Codes & Standards, Engineering Principles  ASCE 7-10 , ASCE 7-16
, Attached Canopies On Buildings , Building Appurtenances , C+C , Canopy , Carports & Canopies ,
Clear Wind Flow , Components , Loading , Main Wind Force Resisting System , MWFRS , Obstructed
Wind Flow , Open Buildings , Other Structures & Mounts , Pavilion , Porosity , Sunshade , Trellis ,
Walkway Cover , Wind Tunnel Test

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Should A Professional Utilize The ASD (“Allowable Stress Design”) Method Or The LRFD (“Load
Resistance Factored Design”) Method When Calculating The Required Wind Pressure For Use With
Tested / Approved Systems?
 1864  4  0
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Building Code?
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POPULAR WIKI ARTICLES

Should A Professional Utilize The ASD (“Allowable Stress Design”) Method Or The LRFD (“Load
Resistance Factored Design”) Method When Calculating The Required Wind Pressure For Use With
Tested / Approved Systems?
 1864  4  0
Did The Loading Requirements Change For Rooftop Structures For ASCE 7-10 And The 2014 Florida
Building Code?
 1017  1  0
What Wind Speed Should I Use For My Project?
 4010  1  0
ASCE 7 Exposure Categories And How Exposure ‘D’ Works
 12996  6  0
Why Are Spacing, Edge Distance, And Embedment Important For Concrete Anchors?
 5905  9  1

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