Structural Calculations: What is it and what is it for?

Have you done the calculations?

Vineyard and orchard systems have undergone profound changes over time, determined by agronomic needs (use of modern and more productive forms of cultivation) and economic needs(massive use of mechanisation of cultivation operations and protection from the weather and insects).

Unfortunately, these changes have not been backed up by in-depth preventive studies on the sizing of materials and the methods of system implementation.

Most of the time this was done by trial and error, often improvising and often making very serious mistakes that compromised not only the harvest, but the life of the entire system.

And this behaviour continues to be repeated, persisting in proposing new systems and new coverings without any prior analysis of whether the newly designed structures have the capacity to cope with the increasingly severe atmospheric stresses.

How can anyone think of installing new, modern ‘anti-rain nets’ featuring more than 90% impermeability on structures that are capable of mounting just 15% impermeability nets?

These mistakes are the result of choices that some self-proclaimed ‘professionals’ have suggested to clients who are unaware of the consequences.

Our approach has always been different.

Valente is the only company on the market that for years has been working with a group of structural engineers, whose task is to carefully analyse the systems and materials used in order to draft a reliable and detailed static analysis.

The objective of this analysis, documented by an extensive bibliography, is clear: to test the structures and certify their safety.

Furthermore, despite the complexity of the subject matter, we have committed ourselves to making this information available to our customers by presenting it in a user-friendly way.

For each vine or orchard system, even those with coverings, we are therefore able to provide a brief but extremely exhaustive static analysis of the structure to be built, so that the clients can be sure that what Valente proposes has been thought out, tested, calculated and verified beyond reasonable doubt.

Each single element that makes up the system has its own safety coefficient derived from the static calculation; these parameters are indicated in the attached sheet (supplied to the customer), together with the final inspection shown on the first page of the sheet.

When OK appears in the box with the green background it means that the result is positive and the system thus designed can be installed, thus guaranteeing its functionality and safety to the customer.