47.5 MB - The Whole Building Design Guide

e to repair or replace items before they fail in a storm. Thisapproach is less expensive than waiting for failure and then repairingthe failed components and consequential damage.The building envelope and exterior-mounted equipment shouldbe inspected once a year by persons knowledgeable of thesystems/materials they are inspecting. Items that require maintenance,repair, or replacement should be documented andscheduled for work. For example, the deterioration of glazing isoften overlooked. After several years of exposure, scratches andchips can become extensive enough to weaken the glazing. Also, ifan engineered film was surface-applied to glazing for wind-bornedebris protection, the film should be periodically inspected andreplaced before it is no longer effective.A special inspection is recommended following unusually highwinds. The purpose of the inspection is to assess whether thestrong storm caused damage that needs to be repaired to maintainbuilding strength and integrity. In addition to inspectingfor obvious signs of damage, the inspector should determine ifcracks or other openings have developed that may allow water infiltration,which could lead to corrosion or dry rot of concealedcomponents.See Section 3.4 for additional information pertaining to buildingslocated in hurricane-prone regions.3.3.2 Structural SystemsBased on post-storm damage evaluations, with the exception ofstrong and violent tornado events, the structural systems (i.e.,MWFRS and structural components such as roof decking) of criticalfacilities have typically performed quite well during designwind events. There have, however, been notable exceptions; inthese cases, the most common problem has been blow-off of theroof deck, but instances of collapse have also been documented(see Figure 3-22). The structural problems have primarily beencaused by lack of an adequate load path, with connection failurebeing a common occurrence. Problems have also been caused byreduced structural capacity due to termites, workmanship errors(commonly associated with steel decks attached by puddle welds),3-42 MAKING CRITICAL FACILITIES SAFE FROM High Wind