• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.275-283
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• 2007

This study was carried out to: (1) analyze structural stability of representative rain-sheltering greenhouses for large-grain grapevine cultivation with widths of 3.6 m and 5 m in case of using the existing pipe for agriculture; (2) present the optimum specification of pipes in the greenhouse with a width of 5 m under the condition of using the pipe of which ultimate strength has been above $400N{\cdot}mm^{-2}$; (3) evaluate stability and also present the optimum specification of pipes as eaves height was augmented. The above analyses were done for greenhouses with roof vents and also with a main-column interval of 3 m and a rafter interval of 60 cm. First, the existing 3.6 m greenhouse with a rafter of ${\Phi}25.4{\times}1.5t@600$ was stable far a snow-depth of 35 cm but unstable for a wind velocity of $35m{\cdot}s^{-1}$. Meanwhile the existing 5 m greenhouse with the same rafter was not stable for a wind velocity of $335m{\cdot}s^{-1}$ as well as a snow-depth of 35 cm. This meant that existing greenhouses had to be reinforced to secure stability. Second, the specification of pipes, especially rafter, could be classified as two cases. One had a structural stability at a safe wind velocity of $35m{\cdot}s^{-1}$ and a safe snow-depth of 40 cm for which stability the rafter had to be ${\Phi}31.8{\times}1.5t@600$, and the other had a stability at $30m{\cdot}s^{-1}-35cm$ at the specification of rafter ${\Phi}25.4{\times}1.5t@600$. Finally, eaves height had a significant effect on safe wind velocity. But it had little influence on safe snow-depth. The results showed that the specification of side-wall pipes had to be reinforced for the safe side velocity accord-ing to the increment of eaves height and similarly the specification of fore-end post far the safe fore-end velocity.