Abstract
AbstractNatural hail impact tests are scarcely available because hailstorms are limited to a small area and cannot be predicted regarding time, place and intensity. Therefore we relied on laboratory tests simulating natural hailstones by polyamide balls (5‐50 mm dia.) whose final velocity could be varied according to meteorological data. So the influence of diameter (weight) and velocity of the artificial hailstones could be taken into consideration independently.The energy of damage or equivalent natural hailstone diameter were determined for 16 mm double skin sheet from PMMA as 0.2 J (14 mm dia.) for star shaped cracks and 2 J (26 mm dia.) for holes. These values do not significantly decrease after 10 years weathering. 10 mm double skin sheets from PC show an extremly high energy of damage of abt. 10 J (38 mm dia.) which decreases to a medium level of 2 J (26 mm dia.) after several years weathering. This decrease is remarkably reduced by weather resistant protective coating.As hailstorms consist to more than 80% of hailstones below 10 mm dia. (0.04 J) the mentioned sheet materials are quite hail resistant also after long weathering periods, but they cannot withstand an extreme hail catastrophe as in Munich July 12, 1984.
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