The Non-Engineered Ballasting Tool (NEBT) is available for members only of Tent Rental Division (TRD), a member group of Advanced Textiles Association (ATA), formerly IFAI. ATA grants you a personal, revocable, nonexclusive, nontransferable license to use the Non-Engineered Ballasting Tool (NEBT). The intent of this online tool is to provide a resource to the industry that utilizes a reliable scientific method in establishing hold-down resistance and/or ballasting requirements for non-engineered/certified tents.

This new tool was designed to assist in determining the hold down power required to safely anchor or ballast tents/structures which have not been certified by engineering.

This tool uses generic geometry and load assumption to provide a best estimate of reactions for non-engineered tent/structure models.

The purpose of the NEBT is to estimate the resistance needed for anchoring or ballasting of generic tents with no engineering. Some safety factors and conservative assumptions are required to ensure that the results yielded are sufficient and provide a minimum level of safety (in the absence of exact product specifications). Therefore, the results generated by the NEBT will tend to be conservative in nature. For more refined calculations, we strongly suggest hiring a third-party engineer to provide a more specific analysis.

Users will be able to print and refer to the ballasting results obtained from the NEBT. Users shall not violate the intellectual property rights of ATA and shall not themselves, or through any affiliate, agent or other third-party de-compile, disassemble, reverse engineer or create derivatives of the NEBT.

The NEBT utilizes factors such as: surface type, ballast type, surface condition, modifier, horizontal reaction force, vertical reaction force, distance from center of ballast to center of upright and diameter of ballast in determining the guidelines for required weight to offer sufficient hold-down power for safe installation. The NEBT guidelines are intended only to supplement any instructions or warnings that are provided by the manufacturer of the tent. ATA recommends consulting the manufacturer’s instructions and warnings each time you install a tent. The NEBT guidelines do not replace the manufacturer’s instructions and warnings.

By using the NEBT, you acknowledge and accept that the results generated are “best conservative estimations” based on general engineering concepts and the responsibility of proper anchoring or ballasting for safe tent installations remains the sole responsibility of the installer.

ATA makes no representation or warrant, either express or implied, as to:

The suitability for any particular purpose of any of the information, designs or standards contained in the NEBT or any products manufactured or constructed in accordance therewith: or
Applicability of any such information, designs, standards or products, or
The accuracy, quality or reliability of any such information, designs, standards or products.
The use by any individual or entity of any information obtained from use of the NEBT constitutes an acknowledgment and agreement by such individual or entity that ATA has made no representation or warranty with respect to the suitability, applicability or accuracy of such information, designs, standards or products.

ATA disclaims any liability for any damage that may result from the Ballasting Tool or the use of any information contained ATA disclaims any liability for any damage that may result from use of the NEBT or any information contained therein. In no event will ATA be liable to any party for any direct or consequential damages that may arise as a result of the use of the NEBT or the information contained therein, even if ATA is expressly advised or notified of any possible damage or harm.

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless ATA and its directors, officers, employees, members, volunteers, agents, successors, and assigns, from and against any and all claims, proceedings, damages, injuries, liabilities, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses), relating to or arising from your use of the Non-Engineered Ballasting Tool or any other act or omission.