HAIL PROTECTED ETFE-ROOF LIGHTS FOR THE NEW ELEPHANT PARK BUILIDING OF ZOO ZURICH

Author(s): Flüeler, P., Kübler, W. and Hohl, A.
Paper category: Conference
Book title: XIII International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components - XIII DBMC
Editor(s): Marco Quattrone, Vanderley M. John
Print ISBN: none
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-149-0
Publication year: 2015
Pages: 958-965
Total Pages: 8
Language: English

Abstract: A wooden dome in the new elephant park of Zoo Zurich contains 271 irregularly shaped roof lights varying from 0.7 to 27 m2 in size. They cover 2100 m2 of the total surface of 6800 m2. The site assembled roof lights are covered by 3-layer pneumatically inflated Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) cushions. On top, an additional sacrificial ETFE-layer protects the cushions against hail damage.

Since the region of Zurich is hit every 2 to 3 years by severe hail storms, the building envelope had to meet a hail impact resistance (HIR) class 4 for the entire building envelop according to Swiss Association of Public Building Insurance Companies APBIC.

The hail impact evaluation and final tests using 4 and 5 cm ice projectiles (round and pointed) proved that the top layer protects the inner cushions against 5 cm projectiles. Pointed projectiles perforate the sacrificial layer but contact with the inner layers is prevented due to the high tear resistance of ETFE. Furthermore, the specific test protocol of membrane structures for the register of hail impact resistant products will be discussed. The opening of the new elephant park took place on June 7, 2014, see www.zoo.ch.

Online publication: 2015
Publication Type: full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00