If we intend to help this industry, we need to have a different approach when something like this happens. This one picture doesn’t tell us much as far as what had happened. We will need before and after pictures of the structure and a description of the sequence of the failure. Initial tear location is the key of understanding the problem. Design drawings and erection/installation procedure may also provide some clues for potential trouble. We hope to learn something from this unfortunate incidence and improve future products.
9 out of 10 times, a tear initiated by a small cut. We all know TEAR STRENGTH is much lower than TENSILE STRENGTH. A [$frac12]-inch cut under load can cause real trouble. If the membrane is not properly tensioned, aerodynamic vibration can make things worse.
Cuts usually caused by mishandling of the fabric during fabrication, folding, shipping, un-folding, installation or tensioning. Cuts also can cause by flying objects in windy condition. Cuts can also caused by sharp object of steel members adjacent to the fabric. Regular inspection and repair is a necessity to assure the integrity of the membrane.
The other 10% accounts for bad seams and others. This is my experience.
With this limited information, I speculate the following scenario:
By Goodidea’s description, this is a structure consists of multiple (at lease 3 from the picture posted) cone shape units connected together at the bottom. For this type of system, wind load usually resisted by the membrane in the hoop direction while gravity load such as snow is resisted in the radial direction. Teflon coating provides a very slippery surface and snow will migrate to low areas. Wind can also play a role in this kind of situation. Drifting snow can cause local loading to increase by a factor of 2 to even 5. As I mentioned this type of load is resisted by membrane in the radial direction. If membrane was not clamped to the radial cables or there was no radial cable at all, high stress in the fabric at low areas will travel to the cone top directly without relieve from the cables, a tear might start from the top. Most likely one cone top started a tear causing snow to move and more problems created and more tear and so on.
[$#8226] The rigid boundary (in green) surrounding the membrane structure.
[$#8226] Snow slides down (red arrows) the conventional roof onto the membrane then stopped by the ridge line created by the masts. In the mean time snow falls on the high area of the membrane also slides down.
[$#8226] The configuration of this structure is prone to ponding easily. Like I mentioned previously, local fabric stress may get very high.
[$#8226] There is another possibility. Because the fabric is experiencing unexpected amount of load, fabric may touch unprotected sharp object or rotate too much at the clamp line.
Membrane is very vulnerable to ponding. This is the issue ignored by most engineers. Flexibility makes fabric more attractive, but by the same token it may cause more problems. Use you judgment.