Wind Loads on Structures 1998:

This software performs all the wind load computations in ASCE 7-98, Section 6..  The software allows the user to "build" structures within the system (buildings, signs, chimneys, tanks,  and other structures).  It provides basic wind speeds from a built-in version of the wind speed map or allows the user to enter a wind speed.  It provides for input of topographic features.  It allows the user to have different exposures for different wind directions.  It has numerous specialty calculators.

Several well known engineers served as technical consultants:

• Dr. Kishor C. Mehta, past chairman of the ASCE Wind Load Committee, Director of the Wind Engineering Research Center and Horn Professor of Civil Engineering at Texas Tech University

• Dr. James R. McDonald, member of the ASCE Wind Load Committee, professor and chair of Civil Engineering and faculty associate of the Wind Engineering Research Center at Texas Tech University

• Dr. H. Scott Norville, Chairman of ASTM F12 Committee on Building Security, Director of the Glass Research and Testing Laboratory, faculty associate of the Wind Engineering Research Center, and Professor of Civil Engineering at Texas Tech University

• Dr. Douglas A. Smith, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering and Faculty Associate of the Wind Engineering Research Center at Texas Tech University.

Features:

• General:

  • The software operates in US standard or metric units. The user can convert back and forth by toggling a switch on the toolbar.

  • The software computes wind loads by analytical method rather than the simplified method.

  • The software provides the user with options for determining wind loads for: 

    • buildings

    • chimneys, tanks, and similar structures

    • trussed towers

    • signs

• Location and Topography

  • The software "reads" the wind speed maps (including the Continental US and Alaska) for the user with the same or better accuracy the user could achieve by "eyeballing" the map.

  • The software allows the user to describe the topography by using parameters for the topographic conditions included in ASCE 7-98 Section 6.

• Buildings

  • The software allows the user to "build" the building by adding sections. The software does not constrain the user to a set of preordained footprints.

  • Software provides a drawing of the structure as the user adds sections.

  • The software incorporates all roof types and combinations thereof defined in ASCE 7-98.

  • Software allows the user to define roof slopes in terms of degrees or as a ratio (x:12) and to input all salient roof dimensions.

  • The software allows the user to obtain wind loads for the main wind force resisting system (MWRFS) at pre-selected height intervals or user-defined intervals.

  • When a building is completely defined in terms of geometry, the program will also perform the computations for the wind loads of user defined Components and Cladding.

• Calculations and Output

  • The user can "click" on various intermediate values of the MWFRS results to obtain the details of the calculations for a specific value, including: velocity pressure, gust effect factor, c_p, c_f and net pressures. The software prints a full report of load for the MWFRS.

  • The software provides calculators to allow the user to "play" with parameters without changing his current design. The user can print results from the calculators individually. The printouts include the data entered, intermediate calculations with equations, and the final answers.

  • The software will output wind loads to excel files to facilitate their incorporation into structural analysis programs

System Requirements:

     Microsoft Windows 95,98,ME

     Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SR 3

     Microsoft Windows 2000

     Microsoft Windows XP

Hardware:

     486 or faster

     16 M ram

     Windows compatible printer

Check out: 

Wind Loads on Structures 2005