A Design Software for Plastic-Covered, Pipe-Framed Greenhouses

Greenhouses in Turkey are generally light frame structures that are mainly subject to wind and snow loads. Currently, there is no standard design procedure for pipe-framed greenhouse structures. The greenhouse contractors are usually pipe producers or plumbers who don't apply engineering calculations. They basically build the greenhouses based on their experiences. However, pipe-framed greenhouse building design procedures do include the calculation of forces such as dead, wind, and snow, moments, reaction forces, etc. There has been a need for a user-friendly design tool that can minimize the failure of pipe-framed greenhouse structures. A software program is developed using MS Visual Basic programming language. The program employs Kleinlogel equations in the calculations of moments and reaction forces. The simplicity of building pipe-framed system and Kleinlogel equations provide a unique opportunity to develop a simple program. This study gives a detailed explanation of the methods and the software.