[BC] Protecting the roof from ice.

[Mike McCarthy]

Ice falling is one of those "you can't build the roof stiff or strong
enough".  All you can do is soften the blow and distribute the force of
the impact by breaking up the pieces and cushioning the blow.  Tires and
fence does that rather nicely in most cases.

HOWEVER, for really heavy ice which would even cause damage to something
protected by tires/fence, a real SECONDARY frame and grating designed for
impact is needed above the building and anything else at risk.  Including
the parking area.

MM

> At the old WTNH-TV transmitetr building (Hamden, CT)
> a chunk of ice fell from the near the top of the tower. It
> damaged our 4 bay (4 bays H, 4 bays V) Alford directional
> FM antenna and went right through the ice protected roof
> of the WTNH building. The roof had multiple steel beams
> to protect it. The driveways were pocked with holes from
> falling ice. The ice just laughed at the beams and took out
> one of the parallel transmitters and other equipment. This was
> around 1978.
>
> Tom Osenkowsky, CPBE