Outdoor Test Track - Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has been performing vehicle crash tests at their Ruckersville, Virginia facility since 1992, giving consumers the information they need to choose safer cars. With many new cars on the market today, and new technologies being introduced every year, the IIHS has no shortage of work in evaluating vehicle safety.

But, in 2014 the IIHS calculated they lost 100 days on their outdoor test track due to rain or snow. To improve efficiency, the Institute decided several years ago to upgrade their facility by building a steel and fabric roof that could withstand the elements and allow them to continue to test cars year-round despite adverse weather conditions. In addition, the Institute needed a roof that could transmit a high amount of natural light to minimize the need for supplemental lighting. 

The project was engineered and fabricated by DUNN Lightweight Architecture. Serge Ferrari’s Precontraint 1502 T2 (now called Flexlight Xtrem TX-30 Type V) was specially manufactured for the job to transmit 66% more light than a standard Precontraint fabric. The structure was completed in September 2015 as part of a larger $30 million expansion project that also included an expanded and new test track.

It is built on 18 concrete piers that are reinforced by more than 39 miles of steel bars inside. 30% of each pier is underground. 7 steel spans made from 1,000 tons of steel connect the piers. 6 fabric panels totaling 250,000 square feet of Serge Ferrari flexible composite membrane are installed between steel spans. The final structure is engineered to withstand a 24 inch snow load capacity and 90 mph winds.