Database-Assisted Design for Wind: Basic Concepts and Software Development

Published

November 1, 2002

Author(s)

T Whalen, Fahim H. Sadek, Emil Simiu

Abstract

Standard provisions for wind loads on buildings have traditionally been based on summary tables and/or plots suitable for slide-rule calculations. The accuracy in the definition of wind loads inherent in such tables and plots is far lower than that inherent in current methods for stress computation. Advances in computational power now make it possible to reduce this discrepancy and achieve structural designs for wind that are significantly safer and more economical than current designs. This is true both for routine, low-rise structures and for flexible structures experiencing significant dynamic effects. In this paper we present the concept of database-assisted design (DAD) along with a discussion of the application software WiLDE (Wind Load Design Environment), a user-friendly tool that employs the DAD approach. The DAD approach entails the use of large databases of aerodynamic pressures, the optional use of databases of directional extreme wind speeds, and the use of structural information needed for the description of linear or nonlinear structural behavior. We present progress achieved to date, describe current efforts and future needs, and discuss the implications of DAD for reliability-based design and performance-based standards development.

Citation

Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics

Volume

90

Issue

No. 11

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

building codes, building technology, database-assisted design, structural engineering, structural reliability, wind engineering, wind loads

Citation

Whalen, T. , Sadek, F. and Simiu, E. (2002), Database-Assisted Design for Wind: Basic Concepts and Software Development, Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics (Accessed June 13, 2025)