Uplift mechanical load tests have been conducted between a commercial short rail and a direct attachment metal bracket on an exposed fastener metal roof panel. Different testing set-ups were applied to mimic field applications. Direct attachment metal brackets produced higher uplift holding strength employing less material than short rail attachments. Higher uplift holding strength implies that less direct attachment metal bracket counts than short rail ones to hold the same wind load on a PV array which translates in cost reduction of the racking system and its installation on the metal rooftops. In this session besides the testing results, the engineering calculations, and the financial benefits of having a stronger uplift resistance system will be presented and discussed.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand uplift mechanical load Tests.
- Explore uplift load resistance mechanisms.
- Racking system engineering calculations.
- Assess racking system products.
- Review cost-effective analysis.
Continuing Education Credit:
1.0 AIA LU HSW 
Ricardo Barroso
Engineering, Research, and Development Director, S-5!
As the S-5! Research and Development Director, Ricardo Barroso is responsible for managing the product development, compliance and application engineering teams, ranging from implementing testing and product development procedures to deploying products internationally. A Brazilian native, he brings expertise to developing attachment solutions, primarily for exposed-fastened roofs specific to the Spanish and Latin American markets. With more than 15 years of experience in product development, manufacturing, process engineering and application engineering, Barroso is lauded for his achievements in research and development for custom-designed, engineered and tested products. He represents S-5! as the Technical Contact for the ASTM E-06-57 Committee on Performance of Buildings, where he is the lead writer of the Metal Roof Attachments Specifications.
