Update on guidelines for the safe ballasting of rental tents

The Tent Rental Division ballasting calculator and ballasting guidelines will be available on the members-only section of the TRD website by the end of September. Members of TRD will need to create an account to log in to the site. Please contact Beth Hungiville for login information. TRD partnered with Clemson University to conduct a thorough ballasting study and develop the calculator based on the results.

Purpose of the ballasting study

• Create a set of functional guidelines to assist members of the Tent Rental Division in the proper usage of ballasted installations of rental tents.
• “Level the playing field” of tent rental companies by providing tested and proven industry guidelines for safe ballasting of tents in a user-friendly format.

Project goal

• Determine best methodology for using ballast units to anchor frame tents and clear span structures.
• Determine the expected mean coefficient of friction for water barrels, concrete barrels and concrete blocks on dry asphalt, wet asphalt, dry smooth concrete, wet smooth concrete, dry rough concrete, wet rough concrete, grass, dirt and gravel.
• Deliver these results in a report and table format to be used as field guidelines for the members of the Tent Rental Division.

Fact

The source of the recommended weight to be applied on a given leg of a tent is provided by the tent manufacturer. Guidelines for the safe ballasting of tents will provide recommendations as to how a tent rental company can reach the given amount of ballast and what the “weight” of the ballast is under various conditions.