TechnicalBulletin

August30,2011
RelatingASCE/SEI710DesignWindLoadstoFenestrationProductRatings
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) have published the
2010editionofASCE/SEI7,MinimumDesignLoadsforBuildingsandOtherStructures.Thisupdatedstandardis
approvedforreferenceinthe2012InternationalCodesandinthe2010FloridaBuildingCode,replacingthetext
takenfromthepreviousedition,ASCE/SEI705.
Thisbulletinisintendedtoinformbuildingspecifiersandotherinterestedusers:
1. Thatthe2010versionofASCE/SEI7cannotbeintermixedwithearlierversions;
2. That exterior fenestration products (windows, doors and skylights) do not need to be tested differently as a
resultofthenew2010versionofASCE/SEI7;and
3. Howthedesignloadsfromthenew2010editionofASCE/SEI7relatetoexteriorfenestration(windows,doors
andskylights)productratingsandperformancegrades.
Thisbulletinisnotintendedtohighlightallthechangesfromversion2005to2010ofASCE/SEI7,suchasthose
relatedchangeswhereopeningprotectioninwindbornedebrisregionsisrequired.PleasereviewASCE/SEI710in
itsentiretyforfulldetails.
ASCE/SEI710revisedthemethodusedforestablishingbasicwindspeed,resultinginthreedifferentwindspeed
maps of the United States. ASCE/SEI 710 also revised the mechanics of the calculations used to incorporate
buildingdesignconsiderationsandconvertwindspeedintoappropriateloadrequirementsforfenestration,based
on the wind speeds shown in the updated maps. Further, ASCE/SEI 710 calculations now provide design wind
pressurevaluesbasedonstrengthdesign/loadandresistancefactordesigninplaceofpreviouslyusedallowable
stress design. ASCE/SEI 710 allows for conversion from strength design to allowable stress design by applying a
factorof0.6.Thisconversionisimportantincorrelatingthecorrectdesignloadtofenestrationproductratings.
Because of the way these three revisions relate to each other, editions of the ASCE/SEI 7 standards cannot be
intermixed.Doingsocouldresultinexcessivelyhighorinappropriatelylowloadpredictionsforwindows,exterior
doorsandskylights.However,exceptforafewlocationswherevariancescreatedbythenewwindmapsproduce
significantlydifferentwindpressures,theproductsthatwouldbespecifiedbycorrectlyusingeitherversionofthe
ASCE/SEI7standardareessentiallythesame.
The 2009 and 2012 International Building Code and International Residential Code reference either the 2011 or
2008editionofAAMA/WDMA/CSA101/I.S.2/A440NAFSNorthAmericanFenestrationStandard/Specification
forwindows,doors,andskylightsforfenestrationtesting,dependinguponwhicheditionofthecodesareadopted
inaparticularjurisdiction.BotheditionsofNAFSevaluateaproductsabilitytoresistuniformloadingbasedmainly
on compliance testing, and assign Performance Grades based on allowable stress design. NAFS Performance
Gradescorrelatedirectlywithrequireddesignwindpressures,whenthosepressuresaredeterminedbyASCE/SEI7
utilizingCombinationLoadingEquationsforAllowableStressDesign,regardlessofwhicheditionisused.Therefore,
the testing requirements for fenestration products to correlate to the design load requirements of ASCE/SEI 7,
2005vs.2010edition,havenotchanged.
Below is an example of design pressures determined for vertical fenestration products using both the 2010 and
2005editionsofASCE/SEI7.TheanalyticalmethodinASCE/SEI710wasusedforthesecalculations.Calculations
forsloped(i.e.roof)productsproducedifferentloads.

ComparisonofASCE/SEI705andASCE/SEI710
ComponentandCladdingDesignPressuresAnalyticalProcedure
ExampleLocation
Dallas,TX
CoastalPalmBeachCnty,FL
ASCE/SEIStandard
ASCE/SEI705
ASCE/SEI710
ASCE/SEI705
ASCE/SEI710
ExposureCategory
B
B
C
D
BasicWindSpeed
90mph
115mph
150mph
170mph
RiskCategory
II
II
MeanRoofHeight
30ft.
150ft.
FenestrationTributaryArea
18sq.ft.
18sq.ft.
20.9lbf/ft2
116.8lbf/ft2
104.6lbf/ft2
PositivePressure
20.5lbf/ft2
Strength
NegativePressure(zone4)
22.3lbf/ft2
22.8lbf/ft2
116.8lbf/ft2
104.6lbf/ft2
Design
NegativePressure(zone5)
26.8lbf/ft2
27.4lbf/ft2
214.0lbf/ft2
191.8lbf/ft2
12.6lbf/ft2*
73.0lbf/ft2
62.8lbf/ft2*
12.8lbf/ft2
Allowable PositivePressure
Stress
NegativePressure(zone4)
13.9lbf/ft2
13.7lbf/ft2*
73.0lbf/ft2
62.8lbf/ft2*
Design NegativePressure(zone5)
16.8lbf/ft2
16.4lbf/ft2*
133.8lbf/ft2
115.1lbf/ft2*
MinimumNAFSPerformanceGrade
PG20
PG20
PG135
PG120
*[StrengthDesignLoad]X0.6=AllowableStressDesignLoad(fortheASCE/SEI72010versiononly)

The 2009 and 2012 International Building Code and International Residential Code also reference ANSI/DASMA
108 Standard Method for Testing Sectional Garage Doors and Rolling Doors: Determination of Structural
PerformanceUnderUniformStaticAirPressureDifferencefortestingofvehicularaccessdoors,i.e.garagedoors
androllingdoors.TheacceptancecriteriainANSI/DASMA108isusedtodeterminethepass/failofdoorstested.
For garage doors and rolling doors, the chart below compares the differences between the two editions of
ASCE/SEI7.Calculationsareforslopedroofhomes,anduseaweightedaverageof2ft.ofdoorwidthinZone5and
therestofthedoorinZone4.
ComparisonofASCE/SEI705andASCE/SEI710
ComponentandCladdingDesignPressuresAnalyticalProcedureforGarageDoorsandRollingDoors
ExampleLocation
Dallas,TX
MiamiDade,FL
ASCE/SEIStandard
ASCE/SEI705
ASCE/SEI710
ASCE/SEI705
ASCE/SEI710
ExposureCategory
B
B
C
C
BasicWindSpeed
90mph
115mph
146mph
175mph
RiskCategory
II
II
MeanRoofHeight
25ft.
25ft.
2
2
2
12.6 lbf/ft
45.3lbf/ft
39.0lbf/ft2
PositivePressure
12.8lbf/ft
SingleCar
9ft.x7ft.
NegativePressure
14.5lbf/ft2
14.2lbf/ft2
51.2lbf/ft2
44.1lbf/ft2
PositivePressure
12.3lbf/ft2
12.0lbf/ft2
43.4lbf/ft2
37.4lbf/ft2
DoubleCar
16ft.x7ft.
NegativePressure
13.7lbf/ft2
13.4lbf/ft2
48.4lbf/ft2
41.7lbf/ft2
Commercial
PositivePressure
11.4 lbf/ft2
11.1 lbf/ft2
40.2lbf/ft2
34.7 lbf/ft2
10ft.x10ft.
NegativePressure
12.7 lbf/ft2
12.5 lbf/ft2
45.1lbf/ft2
38.9 lbf/ft2
###
This technical bulletin is jointly endorsed by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) (www.aamanet.org), the Door and Access Systems
Manufacturers Association (DASMA) (www.dasma.com), the Fenestration Manufacturers Association (FMA) (www.fmausaonline.org) and the Window & Door
ManufacturersAssociation(WDMA)(www.wdma.com).Thisbulletincontainssummarizedinformationaboutcurrentstandardsandcodesrelatedtothedesignof
buildingsanduseoffenestrationassemblies.Theinformationisnotexhaustive,andisnotintendedtoreplaceappropriateengineeringdesign,specificationorcode
compliance. The sponsoring organizations have taken precautions to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the information presented. However, users are
encouraged to contact referenced organizations directly for their most current information. Copies of AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440 can be obtained from
AAMA,WDMAortheCanadianStandardsAssociation(CSA)(www.csa.ca).CopiesofASCE/SEI7canbeobtainedfromtheAmericanSocietyofCivilEngineers(ASCE)
(www.asce.org).CopiesofANSI/DASMA108canbeobtainedfromDASMA.