Wind load factors for Atlantic and Gulf Coast hurricane winds
Date
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
With the recent increase of technology and the understanding of wind effects and reliability analysis, studies have begun to re-examine the wind load criteria used in the ASCE 7-95 Standard. In this standard, an unresolved issue about the wind load factor surrounding Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) exists. The current edition of ASCE 7-95 contains a load factor for winds, but the load factor was derived using wind statistics from sites that are generally not subjected to hurricanes. Instead, hurricane wind properties are accounted for in a hurricane coast importance factor.
In this research, U.S. Gulf and East coasts hurricane wind loads are considered specifically to develop a partial wind load factor for hurricane winds that may differ from the current wind load factor. The philosophy used to development the wind loads in this research follows that of Ellingwood et al. (1980). This is the same philosophy that is used as the framework for implementing reliability methods into U.S. building codes. This research utilizes the most recent Monte Carlo simulation program along with the model of the analytical-empirical profile model of Holland (1980) in simulating hurricanes. Two different hurricane wind speed distribution types are considered, and the wind loads are calculated based on the most recent values and probability distribution functions of the wind load parameters that were available in 1997