Wind Load Provisions

Irrespective of the procedure used to determine wind loads for buildings or structures, it is necessary to determine one or more velocity pressures. For buildings, there are two analytical procedures provided for the main wind resisting system (MWFRS)—the directional procedure and envelope procedure. The directional procedure can be used for any building or structure. The envelope procedure is limited to certain types of buildings as described subsequently. Design pressures for component and cladding (C&C) are obtained using equations similar to the equations used for MWFRS. Pressure coefficients for C&C are obtained using an enveloping procedure. The definitions of the enclosure classification were modified in ASCE7-16 to include a specific definition for enclosed buildings and to include a new definition for partially open buildings. For those situations in which the analytical procedure is considered uncertain or inadequate, or where more accurate wind pressures are desired, consideration should be given to wind tunnel tests.