CALCULATION SHEET

Document Ref:

SX016a-EN-EU

Document Ref:

SX016a-EN-EU

Title

Example: Determination of loads on a building envelope

Title

Example: Determination of loads on a building envelope

Eurocode Ref

EN 1991-1-3, EN 1991-1-4

Eurocode Ref

EN 1991-1-3, EN 1991-1-4

Made by

Matthias Oppe

Date

June 2005

Made by

Matthias Oppe

Date

June 2005

Checked by

Christian Mller

Date

June 2005

Checked by

Christian Mller

Date

June 2005

Sheet

of

Example: Determination of loads on a building

envelope
This worked example explains the procedure of determination of loads on a
portal frame building. Two types of actions are considered: wind actions
and snow actions.

CALCULATION SHEET

7,30

5,988

of

Basic values
vb

= cdir cseason vb,0

Where: vb

basic wind velocity

cdir

directional factor

cseason

seasonal factor

vb,0

fundamental value of the basic wind velocity

vb,0

= 26 m/s (for Aachen - Germany)

Terrain category II

z0 = 0,05 m
z > zmin

Basic data
Total length :

b = 72,00 m

Spacing:

s = 7,20 m

Bay width :

d = 30,00 m

Height (max):

h = 7,30 m

Roof slope:

= 5,0

Height above ground:

h = 7,30 m

= 5
leads to:

EN 1991-1-4
4.2

Fundamental value of the basic wind velocity (see European windmap):

[m]

Determination of basic wind velocity:

0
7,2

30,00

1 Wind loads

,00
72

Sheet

EN 1991-1-4
4.3.2
Table 4.1

vb = cdir cseason vb,0 = 26 m/s

For simplification the directional factor cdir and the seasonal factor cseason are
in general equal to 1,0.
Basic velocity pressure

qb =

1
2
air v b
2

where:

air = 1,25 kg/m (air density)

qb =

EN 1991-1-4
4.5
eq. 4.10

1
1,25 26 2 = 422,5 N/m
2

Peak pressure
h = 7,30 15 tan 5 = 5,988 m

1
q p (z) = [1 + 7l v (z)] v m (z) 2
2
Calculation of vm(z)
vm(z)

mean wind velocity

vm(z) = cr(z) co(z) vb

EN 1991-1-4
4.5, eq. 4.8

CALCULATION SHEET

Document Ref:

SX016a-EN-EU

Document Ref:

SX016a-EN-EU

Title

Example: Determination of loads on a building envelope

Title

Example: Determination of loads on a building envelope

Eurocode Ref

EN 1991-1-3, EN 1991-1-4

Eurocode Ref

EN 1991-1-3, EN 1991-1-4

Made by

Matthias Oppe

Date

June 2005

Made by

Matthias Oppe

Date

June 2005

Checked by

Christian Mller

Date

June 2005

Checked by

Christian Mller

Date

June 2005

Where: co(z)

is the orography factor

cr(z)

is the roughness factor

z
c r (z) = k T ln
z0

kT

of

0 ,07

0 ,05
0,19
ln (7 ,30 / 0,05)

0 ,05

is the terrain factor, depending on the roughness length z0

calculated using

z0,II = 0,05 (terrain category II)

is the minimum height

zmax

is to be taken as 200 m

EN 1991-1-4
4.3.2
Table 4.1

Where: kI
z
so:

EN 1991-1-4
7.2

A positive wind load stands for pressure whereas a negative wind load
indicates suction on the surface. This definition applies for the external wind
action as well as for the internal wind action.
External pressure coefficients

The wind pressure acting on the external surfaces, we should be obtained from
the following expression:
EN 1991-1-4
5.2 eq. 5.1
we = qp(ze) cpe

turbulence intensity

l v = l v ( z min )

(pressure coefficients for internal frame)

Calculation of lv(z)
kI
lv =
co ( z ) ln( z / z 0 )

of

Wind pressure on surfaces

0 , 07

zmin

7
2
3
= 1 +
422,5 0,947 10 = 0,911 kN/m
,
/
,
ln
(
7
30
0
05
)

is the roughness length

Where:

Sheet

1
7
2
qp (7 ,30) = 1 +
2 1,25 26
ln
(
7
30
0
05
)
,
/
,

for z z min

z
k T = 0,19 0
z 0,II

lv(z)

CALCULATION SHEET

for z min z z max

c r (z) = c r ( z min )

Where: z0

Sheet

where: ze

for z min z z max

EN 1991-1-4
4.4 eq. 4.7

cpe

for z < z min

is the reference height for the external pressure

is the pressure coefficient for the external pressure
depending on the size of the loaded area A.
= cpe,10 because the loaded area A for the structure is larger
than 10 m

is the turbulence factor recommended value for kI is 1,0

= 7,30 m

zmin < z < zmax

1
7k I
2
q p (z) = 1 +
k T ln( z / z 0 ) )
v b (1
44244
3
2 4243
o ( z ) ln( z / z 0 )
14c4
1
wind profile
424443 basic pressure
squared gust factor

a) vertical walls
h 7,30
for =
= 0,24 0,25
d 30,00
D:

cpe = 0,7

E:

cpe = - 0,3

EN 1991-1-4
7.2
Table 7.1

CALCULATION SHEET

Document Ref:

SX016a-EN-EU

Document Ref:

SX016a-EN-EU

Title

Example: Determination of loads on a building envelope

Title

Example: Determination of loads on a building envelope

Eurocode Ref

EN 1991-1-3, EN 1991-1-4

Eurocode Ref

EN 1991-1-3, EN 1991-1-4

Made by

Matthias Oppe

Date

June 2005

Made by

Matthias Oppe

Date

June 2005

Checked by

Christian Mller

Date

June 2005

Checked by

Christian Mller

Date

June 2005

Sheet

of

EN 1991-1-4
7.2
Table 7.4a

b) duopitch roofs
with = 5,0,

= 0 (wind direction)
e = min (b; 2h)
= min (72,00; 14,60)
= 14,60 m
cpe = - 1,2

H:

cpe = - 0,6

I:

cpe = - 0,6

J:

cpe = 0,2 / - 0,6

Sheet

of

The internal pressure coefficient depends on the size and distribution of the
openings in the building envelope.
Within this example it is not possible to estimate the permeability and
opening ratio of the building. So cpi should be taken as the more onerous of
+ 0,2 and 0,3. In this case cpi is unfavorable when cpi is taken to + 0,2.

EN 1991-1-4
7.2.9 (6)
Note 2

The wind loadings per unit length w (in kN/m) for an internal frame are
calculated using the influence width (spacing) s = 7,20 m:

2) downwind face

w = (cpe + cpi) qp s
Internal and external pressures are considered to act at the same time. The
worst combination of external and internal pressures are to be considered for
every combination of possible openings and other leakage paths.

cpe = - 0,6
(see Table 7.4a , Note 1)

Characteristic values for wind loading in [kN/m] for an internal frame:

- zones D, E, G, H, I and J
I: w = 5,25

D: w = 4,59

External pressure coefficients cpe (for zone D, E, G, H, I and J):

H: c pe = -0,6

J: w = 5,25

H: w = 5,25

E: w = 3,28

J: c pe = -0,6
I: c pe = -0,6

e/10 = 1,46

1,46
30,00

D: c pe = 0,7

E: c pe = -0,3

Internal pressure coefficient

The wind pressure acting on the internal surfaces of a structure, wi should be

obtained from the following expression
wi = qp(zi) cpi
where: zi
cpi

7,30

G: w = 9,18

G: c pe = -1,2

Wind loads
1) upwind face

G:

CALCULATION SHEET

is the reference height for the internal pressure

is the pressure coefficient for the internal pressure

EN 1991-1-4
5.2 eq.5.2

[m]

EN 1991-1-4
7.2.9

CALCULATION SHEET

Document Ref:

SX016a-EN-EU

Document Ref:

SX016a-EN-EU

Title

Example: Determination of loads on a building envelope

Title

Example: Determination of loads on a building envelope

Eurocode Ref

EN 1991-1-3, EN 1991-1-4

Eurocode Ref

EN 1991-1-3, EN 1991-1-4

Made by

Matthias Oppe

Date

June 2005

Made by

Matthias Oppe

Date

June 2005

Checked by

Christian Mller

Date

June 2005

Checked by

Christian Mller

Date

June 2005

Sheet

of

2 Snow loads

CALCULATION SHEET

Sheet

of

Snow load on the roof

s = 0,8 1,0 1,0 0,772 = 0,618 kN/m

General

spacing = 7,20 m

Snow loads on the roof should be determined as follows:

s = i ce cz sk
where: i

EN 1991-1-3
5.2.2 eq.5.1

is the roof shape coefficient

is the exposure coefficient, usually taken as 1,0

ct

is the thermal coefficient, set to 1,0 for normal situations

sk

is the characteristic value of ground snow load for the

relevant altitude

for an internal frame:

s = 0,618 7,20 = 4,45 kN/m
s = 4,45 kN/m

7,30

ce

Roof shape coefficient

Shape coefficients are needed for an adjustment of the ground snow load to a
snow load on the roof taking into account effects caused by non-drifted and
drifted snow load arrangements.
The roof shape coefficient depends on the roof angle.
0 30

1 = 0,8

EN 1991-1-3
5.3
Table 5.1

Snow load on the ground

The characteristic value depends on the climatic region.

For a site in Aachen (Germany) the following expression is relevant:
A 2
s k = (0,264 2 0,002) 1 +
kN/m
256
Where: z
A

is the zone number (depending on the snow load on sea

level), here: z = 2
is the altitude above sea level, here A = 175 m

175 2
s k = (0,264 2 0,002) 1 +
= 0,772 kN/m
256

EN 1991-1-3
Annex C
Table C1

30,00

[m]