Weight of Snow Deflates Fabric Roof Of Minneapolis Metrodome

Photo: APimages/AN Heisenfelt

The fabric roof of the Metrodome Stadium in Minneapolis collapsed on Dec. 12 under the weight of 17 or more inches of wet snow. Steve Maki, the stadium’s director of facilities and engineering, said a seven-person snow-removal crew retreated from the roof when winds gusting to 40 mph made working unsafe. Maki says that, early Sunday morning, one fabric roof panel gave way because of the snow load, which overstressed two more panels that also then failed. The roof was fabricated and installed by Birdair Inc., Amherst, N.Y., in 1981. Maki says three samples of roof fabric tested early last spring still rated above the original specifications after nearly 30 years.

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Progressive Design-Build is reshaping large infrastructure projects by addressing key issues with the traditional Design-Build approach. We'll explore how PDB fosters collaboration between owners, design-builders, and design teams to develop a well-defined scope and budget, plus minimizes cost overruns and reduces liability claims.