Abstract
The ASCE 7-16 standard and its previous editions specify wind speeds for structural design that increase monotonically above the Earth’s surface up to heights between 200 and 400 m, above which they are considered constant. This model was proposed in the 1960s and based on research completed up to that time. Subsequent research has shown that the model is inadequate and may result in the significant underestimation of wind loads in the higher elevations of supertall and megatall structures. For this reason, a new model for the vertical variation of wind speeds and associated velocity pressure exposure coefficients, , was developed for inclusion in the ASCE 7-22 standard. The purpose of this paper is to present and explain the logic of the new model based on physics-based meteorological research.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Drs. Emil Simiu and Marc Levitan of National Institute of Standards and Technology for helpful discussions. Members of the ASCE 7 Wind Load Subcommittee are also acknowledged with appreciation for their constructive comments, support, and guidance.
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Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 149 • Issue 5 • May 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 2, 2022
Accepted: Nov 21, 2022
Published online: Mar 9, 2023
Published in print: May 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Aug 9, 2023
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