Performance of Screen Enclosures under Repeated Loading Cycles

Aluminum screen enclosures suffer from significant damage in hurricanes. In an attempt to identify ways to minimize the damage to screen enclosures, experimental investigations were conducted to study how screen enclosures perform when they are subjected to repeated loading cycles. The loading cycles mimic gradually increasing hurricane winds, while considering the fluctuating nature of the wind. Three types of specimens were constructed and tested. Their overall geometry was the same but their bracing strategies were different. Three damage indices were used to analyze the data. Qualitative assessment and comparison of damage was also conducted. Overall, K-type bracing was most effective followed by cable bracing. Lack of bracing resulted in sudden failure. Beam-to-host connections were very critical in preventing catastrophic failure. Suggestions on how to improve beam-to-host connections are provided along with other measures to mitigate the damage on screen enclosures. Where feasible, the most important measure to reduce damage would be the installation of a proper bracing system; however, other proposed measures would also strengthen the structure against hurricane winds.