Structural

Geodesic dome snow load calculator

Snow load on a geodesic dome isn't one number applied to the whole structure. Different strut classes sit at different angles and carry very different shares of the load — the strut near the apex and the strut near the base can be working at completely different percentages of their capacity under the exact same snowfall.

Why a single “dome holds X kPa” number is misleading

A geodesic dome distributes load through its triangulated shell unevenly. Steeper panels near the top shed snow more readily; shallower panels lower down accumulate more of it. Tube or lumber size, strut class geometry, and truncation (how much of the sphere you're building) all change which strut class is actually the weak point. A calculator that returns one pass/fail number for the whole dome is hiding the class that's actually closest to failing.

What a real check needs

Ground snow loadfor your actual coordinates — not the nearest city's official design value, which can differ meaningfully at a rural or elevated site.
Design wind speed, since wind and snow load combinations (not snow alone) are usually the governing case in most building codes.
Per-class analysis — checking every strut class, since the frame is only as strong as its weakest one.
Stock sizefeeding back into the same check, so you can see the effect of moving from 3/4" to 1" EMT, or a lighter to heavier timber, in one click.

How DomeFab does it

DomeFab reads roughly ten winters of climate reanalysis data for whatever location you type in — a town, an address, coordinates — and fills in a starting ground snow load and design wind speed for that exact spot, anywhere in the world. You can also enter your own numbers directly if you have a local building-code value you want to use instead.

Pass, caution, fail — per class, not per dome

Every strut class gets run through the load combinations building codes use and comes back labeled pass, caution, or fail. Fail means fail — the screen doesn't round up a marginal number into a pass. Most fails are one click away from a pass: a heavier tube size, a lower frequency (fewer, stockier struts), or a smaller diameter, with the numbers updating live as you try each option.

What this is, and isn't

This is a screening tool: it tells you honestly whether your frame is in the right range before you commit to materials, using the same load combinations codes use. It is not a substitute for a licensed engineer's stamped analysis, which most jurisdictions require for anything permitted or occupied. The plan PDF prints every assumption behind the check, specifically so that engineer review is fast when you need it. See Terms for the exact scope.