Permitted Design Methods

See ASCE 7-05 6.1.2

Method 1Simplified Procedure

(ASCE 7-05 Section 6.4)

Low rise buildings. This is an outgrowth of work done
for/by the metal building industry.

Method 2Analytical Procedure

(ASCE 7-05 Section 6.5)
The typically used procedure. This is the main focus of
this presentation.
Method 3Wind Tunnel Procedure

(ASCE 7-05 6.6)

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Important Definitions
See ASCE 7-05 6.2

Basic Wind Speed

Building open, enclosed, partially enclosed
Low-Rise Building

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Exposure Categories
See ASCE 7-05 6.5.6 & C6.5.6 (See images!)
Exposure A Deleted in ASCE 7-02 and later

Extremely sheltered. Large city centers with tall buildings.

Exposure B
Urban and suburban areas, wooded areas, areas with many
closely spaced obstructions.
Exposure C
Open terrain with scatter obstructions. Airports, areas that
are generally flat open country.
Exposure D
Flat, unobstructed areas and water surfaces outside
hurricane prone regions. This category includes smooth mud
flats, salt flats, and unbroken ice that extend 5,000 ft or 20
times the building height in the upwind direction.

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Determining Exposure
Wind Direction & Sectors (ASCE 7-05

6.5.6.1)
the exposure of the building or structure shall
be determined for the two upwind sectors
extending 45o either side of the selected wind
direction.
the exposure resulting in the highest wind
loads shall be used to represent the winds
from that direction.

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

ASCE 7-05 Wind Pressures

The basic form of the pressure equation:

p = qGC
Where

p = a wind pressure on a surface

q = velocity pressure. This is the pressure due to a moving
fluid on a flat plate
G = gust factor. The gust factor accounts for dynamic
interaction between the flowing air and the structure
C = pressure coefficient. The pressure coefficient accounts
for varying pressure across a surface.
A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Velocity Pressure, q
See ASCE 7-05 6.5.10

qz =Velocity Pressure = 0.00256KzKzt KdV2 I (lb/ft2)

Constant 0.00256
V = Basic wind speed in mph
I = Importance Factor (i.e. different MRI)
Kz = Exposure Coefficient
Kzt = Topographical Factor
Kd = Wind Directionality Factor
Evaluated at an elevation z:
qz = 0.00256V2IKzKztKd
Evaluated at the building mean roof elevation, h:
qh = 0.00256V2I KhKhtKd
A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

The Velocity Coefficient

See ASCE 7-05 C6.5.10

Based on the average density of air at sea level.

1
5280 2 2
2 1 0.0765
P V [
][
] V 0.00256V 2
2
2 32.2
3600

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Basic Wind Speed, V

See ASCE 7-05 6.5.4

Obtained from Wind Speed maps in ASCE 7-

05 Figure 6-1.
Determined by localized research using
approved probabilistic methods.
The basic wind speed shall be increased
where records or experience indicate that the
wind speeds are higher than those reflected
in Fig. 6-1. (ASCE 7-05 6.5.4.1)
A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

The Importance Factor, I

See ASCE 7-05 6.5.5, Table 6-1 and Commentary 6.5.5

Category I: I = .87

MRI is 25 years

Category II: I = 1.00

MRI is 50 years

Category III & IV: I = 1.15

MRI is 100 years

Building Categories are listed in ASCE 7-05

Table 1-1.
A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Velocity Pressure Exposure

Coefficients, Kz and Kh
See ASCE 7-05 6.5.6.6, Tables 6-2 and 6-3, and C6.5.6.6

Modifies basic wind pressure for heights other

than 33 ft and exposures other than exposure

C.
Can compute K directly from equations in the
commentary for any height and/or exposure.

Good for spreadsheet or computer

programming.

For elevations less than 15 ft, use K15.

For elevations above gradient height use Kg.
A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Kz & Kh Computation
Kz = 2.01(z/zg)2/a
When z > zg use z = zg
When z < 15 use z = 15 ft

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Topographical Factor, Kzt

See ASCE 7-05 6.5.7 & Commentary 6.5.7

Kzt = 1.0 when:

H/Lh < 0.2, or

H < 15' for Exposures C & D,
or
H < 60' for Exposure B.

Kzt = (1+K1K2K3)2

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Kzt
Constants

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Kzt Multipliers by Equation

See ASCE 7-05 Figure 6.4

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Directionality Factor, Kd
See ASCE 7-05 6.5.4.4 and
Table 6-4
This factor shall only be

applied when used in

conjunction with load
combinations specified
in Sections 2.3 and 2.4.
The wind load factors
changed when the
directionality factor was
extracted.

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

The Gust Factor, G

Factor accounting for:

Gustiness and turbulence

Gust frequency
Gust size

Integral scale longitudinal and lateral

Frequency of structure
Structural damping
Aerodynamic admittance
Gust correlation
A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Gust Factor, G
See ASCE 7-05 6.5.8

For stiff buildings and stiff structures

G = 0.85

For flexible buildings and other structures

Calculate by a rational analysis that

incorporates the dynamic properties of the
main wind-force resisting system.

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Pressure Coefficients, C
The pressure coefficients are based on

The enclosure category of the structure

The location on a structure for which a pressure is to
be computed.

The pressure coefficients have been determined

experimentally from wind tunnel studies done on

regular shaped structures

The coefficient represents the ratio between measured

pressure and the computed basic velocity pressure.
C

P measured
1
V2
2

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Enclosure Classifications
See ASCE 7-05 6.2 & 6.5.9

A building is to be classified as one of the following:

Open
A > 0.8A for each wall
o
g
Partially Enclosed
A > 1.10 A , and
o
oi
A > min[4 sqft , 0.01A ], and
o
g
A /A < 0.20
oi
gi
Enclosed
A building that is neither open nor partially enclosed.
A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Location of Pressure
ASCE 7 provides means for computing forces on

various surfaces.

The building envelope surfaces experience pressure

on both sides (i.e. external and internal).

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Internal Pressure Coefficients, GCpi

See ASCE 7-05 6.5.11.1 & Figure 6-5

Internal pressure is fairly easy because the air is

relatively stagnant and the shape of the structure

does not affect its magnitude.
As gusting is not a concern internally, the gust factor
and the pressure coefficient are combined.

GCpi

The magnitude of the internal pressure coefficient is

strictly dependent on the enclosure classification.

The pressure can be both positive or negative (i.e.
suction) depending on the direction of the wind
relative to opening for partially enclosed or enclosed
buildings.

Both internal pressures must be considered.

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Internal Pressure

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

External Pressure Coefficients, Cp

See ASCE 7-05 6.5.11.2 & Figures 6-6, 6-7, and 6-8

As external surfaces are subject to flowing air, the

pressure varies considerably on the building surface

depending on structural configuration and direction of
the wind.
Coefficients also depend on whether the resulting
forces are to be used to design/analyze:

Main Wind-Force Resisting Systems

Structural elements that support large areas exposed
to the wind
Components & Cladding
Structural elements that support small areas exposed
to the wind
A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Buildings with Roofs Consisting of

Flat Surfaces
See ASCE 7-05 Figure 6-6

ASCE 7-05 Figure 6-6 gives the external

coefficients of wall and roof surfaces.

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Buildings with Roofs Consisting of

Flat Surfaces Wall Cp
See ASCE 7-05 Figure 6-6

Wall pressure depends on whether the wall is

Windward

Leeward

Same regardless of building plan dimensions

Dependant on building plan dimensions

Side

Same regardless of building plan dimensions

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Buildings with Roofs Consisting of

Flat Surfaces Roof Cp
See ASCE 7-05 Figure 6-6

Dependent on direction of wind relative to

ridge

Coefficients are given for various conditions.

Interpolation is used to find values of
conditions between those given.

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Wind Normal to Ridge

See ASCE 7-05 Figure 6-6
Wind NORMAL to ridge

Values given for different

building height to length
ratios and roof slope
angles.
Windward roof surfaces

Can be both positive

and negative on some
slopes. Both need
consideration as
separate load cases.

Leeward roof surfaces

All negative.
A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Wind Parallel to Ridge

See ASCE 7-05 Figure 6-6
Parallel to ridge,

flat or nearly flat

Two different
h/L ranges,
both with
stepped
pressures.
Interpolate
between
ranges

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Domed Roofs
See ASCE 7-05 Figure 6-7

Pressure distributions are fairly complex.

Two load cases to be considered.

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Arched Roofs
See ASCE 7-05 Figure 6-8

Pressure coefficient depends on rate of rise

of the arch.
Pressure varies by along the arch.

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Components & Cladding

Elements of the structure that support local

peak loads need to be designed for these

pressures.
The magnitude of the force is dependent on
the wind area tributary to the component

The smaller the tributary area of a component

the more likely to see relatively high pressures
on their tributary areas.

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Some Local Effects

Wind

around a
corner

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Image from FEMA Multi

Hazard Seminar

Wind at a Corner

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Image from FEMA Multi

Hazard Seminar

Uplift on Roof
Images from FEMA Multi
Hazard Seminar

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Wall Components
See ASCE 7-05 Figure 6-11A

For buildings

under 60 ft
See ASCE
7-05 Figure
6-17 for
building
greater than
60 ft tall.
A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Roof Components
Lots of different roof types with different

requirements.
Gable Roofs of various angles
Gable/Hip Roofs
Stepped Roofs
Multispan Gable Roofs
Monoslope Roofs
Sawtooth Roofs

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Typical
Roof
Chart

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Finding Net Pressure

See ASCE 7-05 6.5.12

The net pressure is the vector sum of the

internal and external pressures.

Typical form:
p = qGCp qi(GCpi)
Note the sign positive pressure externally

opposes positive pressure internally (i.e. they

act in opposite directions).

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05

Sample Problem
V = 120 mph
Exposure C
Enclosed

A Beginner's Guide to ASCE 7-05