Canopy Truss- Upstate University Hospital

A canopy truss was required to protect ambulances accessing the emergency room entrance from falling ice that accumulates on the existing architectural fins above. The box truss is 23-feet wide and spans 110 feet over the existing emergency room entrance. The box truss weighed 149,000 pounds with only the deck installed; it took two 300-ton hydraulic cranes to lift it into place. The working area was so restricted that a single crane wouldn’t fit in the available area. In order to accommodate the existing windows and louvers, the truss steel depth was restricted to 5 feet, which resulted in W12x210 chords to limit deflection. The truss had to be supported at either end on 3’x3’ concrete beams and 3’Ø columns framing into pile caps with 45 total piles. The emergency room entrance was only shut down for a total of 2 hours during the entire construction process…all to catch falling ice! #ryanbiggsclarkdavis