b'THE OFFICIAL NFBA MAGAZINESURVEYING THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF FAILURES IN FARM BUILDINGSRESEARCH & TECHNOLOGYCarl A. DuleyProfessor, UW-Madison Division of ExtensionBuffalo County Agricultural AgentIntroduction: engineered or inspected (although some counties do Iand a concerned citizen andhave inspection requirements).This was a known am a teacher, researcher, University Extensionissue, but could something be done to reduce farm Professor,building failures without creating a requirement for supporter of farmers and rural life.I am notengineering and inspections?an engineer, a builder, or manufacturer.This is not intended to be a technical article; I will leave thatChanges Over Time:to people who are qualified to publish the technical aspects of this issue.This article is intended toNothing has really changed since 2010 and millions encourage a continuing discussion about the issueof dollars have been lost and lives are being risked of farm structure failures and hopefully reach somebecause many buildings are not designed adequately. solutions or steps to help prevent future failures. Visiting with builders and engineers in Wisconsin it is apparent that this has been a problem for decades. Storm intensity seems to be increasing in WisconsinFailures have been investigated by engineers and including winter snowstorms.In the last 10 years,causes identified, but still, no solutions have been we have had numerous significant snow events thatimplemented.This study was intended to find led to farm structure failures.I will concentrate onsolutions to this issue.Unfortunately, Covid got in failures near my home office in Western Wisconsin,the way of the individual interviews that are needed specifically in Buffalo County. Regional buildingto accomplish all of the objectives.failures in 2018-19 directly led to my involvement inSituation:conducting a building survey to study farm building failures. Damage during the winter of 2009-10 was not I was invited to become involved with the Wisconsinwidespread but rather limited to a narrow band in Frame Builders Association (WFBA) TechnicalWest Central Wisconsin.The snow was very wet Committee by Aaron Halberg, Halberg Engineering,and heavy with 10 -18 inches of new snow falling and Dr. David Bohnhoff, University of Wisconsin- over an eight hour period, accompanied by winds Madison, both experts in post-frame design andblowing from the northwest at 30 -50 miles per with farm building failure investigation experiencehour.Eleven barns partially or totally collapsed in following heavy snow events in Wisconsin.TheBuffalo County.These barns ranged from 9 months WFBA held a special meeting in the Spring ofold to 30 years old. 2019 to discuss what happened that winter and2018-2019 brought heavy snows that accumulated why.Wisconsin, like many other agriculturalon roofs.During February 2019, 45 inches of states, does not require agricultural buildings to benew snow fell, with high temperatures averaging 18 / FRAME BUILDER -JUN2021'