FireNuggets , Inc May 2017
more water to move toward the depressed area .
• Excess water weight ( live load ) on the roof and supporting members .
• Strong winds generating a dynamic load ( water movement ) on structural members .
• Strong winds caused the roof to move horizontally in a pendulum fashion . This movement loosened structural member connectors ( bolts ) causing them to fail .
• Lack of redundancy regarding roof structural member components .
Summary
Kemper Arena Roof Collapse
( Kansas City , Missouri )
The Kemper Arena was built in 1973 as the new home for the local Kansas City King basketball team . It had a seating capacity of 17,600 . The flat roof structure consisted of reinforced concrete supported on light steel open web joists with steel angle chords . Severe storms and rainfall regularly occur in this part of the country and in an effort to reduce stormwater run-off into the city ’ s sewers , the roof was designed to hold water as a temporary reservoir .
On June 14th , 1979 , during a rainstorm accompanied by high winds , a large section ( approximately 200 ’ x 200 ’) of the Kemper Arena roof collapsed onto the arena floor followed by a large air pressure surge that knocked down some of the walls . Luckily only one person was inside at the time and he was not injured . Upon subsequent investigation , significant factors leading to roof collapse included :
Rural stormwater management techniques encourage the natural movement of water by harvesting , irrigation schemes , barriers , basins and trenches . Rooftop detention is a very good storage option in densely developed urban areas where roofs make up a significant portion of the total site area . Excessive rainfall may still overwhelm a roof water detention system but collectively the value of blue roofs can be invaluable . Firefighters must familiarize themselves with blue roof locations and modify their operational procedures accordingly , if deemed necessary . Roof collapse potential must be considered when determining interior or exterior fire attack . This decision is even more critical during heavy rainfall and high wind conditions . Preplanning and involvement with the design team of a blue roof project are essential for future successful and safe operations .
• Number of drains ( 8 ) on the roof was grossly insufficient causing water to “ pond ” and the roof to deflect under its weight . This initiated
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