The JDI Group has provided structural system design services for many ground-mounted and rooftop solar arrays throughout the country. Our structural analysis involves calculating the impact of wind, snow, seismic and gravity-induced forces.
If the array is ground-mounted, a geotechnical study of the site is performed under JDI’s direction to enable the design of the appropriate foundation system. Typical foundation systems consist of helical anchors or concrete piers.
If the array is located on a rooftop, the existing structure is analyzed to determine its adequacy to support the array. The arrays are typically weighted to the roof with concrete ballast blocks in order to avoid rooftop penetrations.
The JDI Group’s engineers have been working with APA since 2009 and have assisted in the development of four different racking styles in the last five years. In the past four years, JDI has completed 575 separate projects for AP Alternatives, working across most of the U.S., and as far as Wake Island, a trans-Pacific refueling stop for military aircraft controlled by the U.S. Air Force.
