Investigation of extreme wind loading on a low-rise building employing database-assisted design application

Abstract

Models of the Main Wind Force Resisting System and cladding elements of a low-rise structure are investigated under wind load conditions. The spatial variation of wind loads is approximated by employing wind tunnel measurements contained in the NIST aerodynamic database. Influence coefficients are determined for various load effects in an attempt to extend the use of a Database-Assisted-Design (DAD) software application to the investigation of cladding elements. An Extreme Value Analysis is performed to estimate peak load effects from computed time histories. Finally, the peak load effects computed from the aerodynamic database are compared to their corresponding design values based on the application of the ASCE 7-10 wind loading provisions for low-rise buildings.