Wind Analysis

1.1 INTRODUCTION:

Wind is air in motion relative to the surface of the earth. The primary cause of wind
is traced to earth’s rotation and differences in terrestrial radiation. The radiation effects are
primarily responsible for convection either upwards or downwards. The wind is generally
blows horizontal to the ground at high wind speeds. Since vertical components of
atmospheric motion are relatively small, the term ‘wind’ denotes almost exclusively the
horizontal wind. The wind speeds are assessed with the aid of anemometers or
anemographs which are installed at meteorological observatories at heights generally
varying from 10 m to 30 m above ground.

Very strong winds (greater than 80 km/h) are generally associated with cyclonic
storms, thunderstorms, dust storms or vigorous monsoons. A feature of the cyclonic storms
over the Indian area is that they rapidly weaken after crossing the coasts and move as
depressions/lows inland. The influence of a severe storm after striking the coasts does not;
in general exceed about 60 kms, though sometimes, it may extend even up to 120 kms. Very
short duration hurricanes of very high wind speeds called Kal Baisakhi or Norwesters occur
fairly frequently during summer months over North East India.

The wind speeds recorded at any locality are extremely variable and in addition to
steady wind at any time, there are effects of gusts which may last for a few seconds. These
gusts cause increase in air pressure, but their effect on stability of the building may not be
so important; often gusts affect only part of the building and the increased local pressures
may be more than balanced by a momentary reduction in the pressure elsewhere. because
of the inertia of the building, short period gusts may not cause any appreciable increase in
stress in main components of the building although the walls, roof sheeting and individual
cladding units (glass panels) and their supporting members such as purlins, sheeting rails
and glazing bars may be more seriously affected.

The liability of a building to high wind pressures depends not only upon the
geographical location and proximity of other obstructions to air flow but also upon the
characteristics of the structure itself.

The effect of wind on the structure as a whole is determined by the combined action
of external and internal pressures acting upon it. In all cases, the calculated wind loads act
normal to the surface to which they apply.
1.2 TERMINOLOGY:

1.2.1 ANGLE OF ATTACK:

Angle between the direction of wind and a reference axis of the structure.

1.2.2 BREADTH:

Breadth means horizontal dimension of the building measure normal to the

direction of wind.

1.2.3 DEPTH:

Depth means the horizontal dimension of the building measured in the direction of
the wind.

1.2.4 EFFECTIVE FRONTAL AREA:

The projected area of the structure normal to the direction of the wind.

1.2.5 ELEMENT OF SURFACE AREA:

The area of surface over which the pressure coefficient is taken to be constatnt.

1.2.6 FORCE COEFFICIENT:

A non – dimensional coefficient such that the total wind force on a body is the
product of the force coefficient, the dynamic pressure of the incident design wind speed and
the reference area over which the force is required.

When the force is in the direction of the incident wind, the non – dimensional
coefficient will be called as “drag coefficient”. When the force is perpendicular to the
direction of incident wind, the non – dimensional coefficient will be called as “lift
coefficient”.

1.2.7 GROUND ROUGHNESS:

The nature of the earth’s surface as influenced by small scale obstruction such as
trees and buildings (as distinct from topography) is called Ground Roughness.

1.2.8 GUST:

A positive or negative departure of wind speed from its mean value, lasting for not
more than, says 2 minutes over a specified interval of time.
 Peak Gust or Peak Gust Speed is the wind speed associated with the maximum
amplitude.

1.2.9 SUCTION:

Suction means pressure less than the atmospheric (static) pressure and is taken to
act away from the surface.

1.2.10 SOLIDITY RATIO:

Solidity ratio is equal to the effective area (projected area of all the individual
elements) of a frame normal to the wind direction divided by the area enclosed by the
boundary of the frame normal to the wind direction.

1.2.11 TERRAIN CATEGORY:

Terrain category means the characteristics of the surface irregularities of an area

which arise from natural or constructed features. The categories are numbered in increasing
order or roughness.

1.2.12 VELOCITY PROFILE:

The variation of the horizontal component of the atmospheric wind speed at

different heights above mean ground level is termed as velocity profile.

1.2.13 TOPOGRAPHY:

The nature of the earth’s surface as influenced the hill and valley configurations.

1.3 NATURE OF WIND IN ATMOSPHERE:

In general, wind speed in the atmospheric boundary layer increases with height from
zero at ground level to a maximum at a height called the gradient height. There is usually a
slight change in direction (Ekman effect), but this is ignored in the code. The variation with
height depends primarily on the terrain conditions. However, the wind speed at any height
never remains constant and it has been found convenient to resolve its instantaneous
magnitude into an average or mean value and a fluctuating component around this average
value.
1.4 PROBLEM:

Calculation of Design Wind Force as per IS: 875 (III) – 1987:

7m

2.5 m

7m

7 @ 6.75 m
PLAN OF A MULTI-STORIED (G + 3) OFFICE BUILDING

This office building is situated at Rajarhat, Kolkata.

Floor to floor height (h) = 3.5 m

Let us assume, height of plinth level = 600 mm

depth of foundation = 1700 mm

As per Appendix – A (Clause – 5.2), IS: 875 (III) – 1987

 Basic wind speed for Kolkata (Vb) = 50 m/sec

As per Clause – 5.3, IS: 875 (III) – 1987

 Design wind speed (Vz) = Vb x K1 x K2 x K3

Where,

K1 = Risk coefficient factor

K2 = Terrain, height and structure size factor

K3 = Topography factor

As per Table - 1 (Clause – 5.3.1), IS: 875 (III) – 1987

  K1 = 1 [Since, Design life of structure = 50 years]

As per Table - 2 (Clause – 5.3.2), IS: 875 (III) – 1987

Since Terrain category = 4 & building class = B

 K2 = 0.76 for building height upto 20 m

As per Clause – 5.3.3.1, IS: 875 (III) – 1987

 K3 = 1

As per Clause – 5.4, IS: 875 (III) – 1987

 Design wind pressure (Pz) = 0.6Vz2

Assuming, height of parapet wall = 1 m

 Height of ground floor (G) = (3.5 + 0.6) m = 4.1 m

 Height of the top floor (T) = (3.5 + 1) m = 4.5 m

TABLE – 1:

DESIGN WIND
HEIGHT DESIGN WIND
FLOOR K1 K2 K3 PRESSURE (PZ)
(m) SPEED (VZ) (m/sec)
(N/m2)
 3 15.6  1 0.76 1 38 866.4
2 11.1 1 0.76 1 38 866.4
1 7.6 1 0.76 1 38 866.4
G 4.1 1 0.76 1 38 866.4

 Dimension of the building:

At longer direction (L) = (7 x 6.75) m = 47.25 m

At shorter direction (w) = (7 + 2.5 + 7) m = 16.5 m

 Height of the building (H) = 15.6 m

As per Clause – 6.2.1, IS: 875 (III) – 1987

 Force at any point (F) = (Cpe – Cpi) x A x Pd

Where,
 Cpe = External pressure coefficient

Cpi = Internal pressure coefficient

A = Effective surface area of structural element or cladding unit

Pd = P z

H 15.6 1 H 3
 = = 0.95 So, < 
w 16.5 2 w 2

L 47.25 3 L
 = = 2.9 So, < 4
w 16.5 2 w

As per Table – 4, IS: 875 (III) – 1987

For case – 2 (II):

When wind angle (θ) = 00

0.7
C

0.7 0.3
 Cpe = (0.7 + 0.3) = 1
A B

D
0.7

When wind angle (θ) = 900

 0.7
C

0.5 0.5

A B  Cpe = (0.7 + 0.1) = 0.8

D
0.1

As per Clause – 6.2.3.2, IS: 875 (III) – 1987

 Cpi = ± 0.5

Assuming, buildings are with medium openings about 5% to 20% of wall area.

 When wind angle (θ) = 00

Cp = (Cpe – Cpi) = 1.0 + 0.5 = 1.5 [Cpi = -0.5]

Cp = (Cpe – Cpi) = 1.0 - 0.5 = 1.5 [Cpi = +0.5]

 When wind angle (θ) = 900

Cp = (Cpe – Cpi) = 0.8 + 0.5 = 1.3 [Cpi = -0.5]

Cp = (Cpe – Cpi) = 0.8 - 0.5 = 0.3 [Cpi = +0.5]

As per Clause – 6.3, IS: 875 (III) – 1987

 Force acting (F) = Cf x Ac x Pd

Where,
 Cf = Force coefficient

Ac = Effective frontal area

Pd = P z

As per fig. – 4, IS: 875 (III) -1987

When wind force acting at the longer side of the building;

a = 16.5 m

a = 16.5 m
b = 47.25 m
WIND
F
WIND h = 15.6 m
F

ELEVATION

PLAN

h 15.6
 = = 0.33 < 1
b 47.25

a 16.5
 = = 0.35
b 47.25

As per fig. – 4 (B), IS: 875 (III) -1987

 Cf = 1.18

When wind force acting at the shorter side of the building;

a = 47.25 m

WIND b = 16.5 m
F

PLAN
a = 47.25 m

WIND h = 15.6 m
 ELEVATION

h 15.6
 = = 0.95  1
b 16.5

a 47.25
 = = 2.9
b 16.5

As per fig. – 4 (A), IS: 875 (III) -1987

 Cf = 0.9

TABLE – 2:

INFLUENCE AREA (m2) WIND FORCE (N)

FLOOR
FLOOR WIND ANGLE WIND ANGLE WHEN θ = 00 WHEN θ = 900
HEIGHT (m) 0
(θ) = 0 (θ) = 900 (FL) (FS)
((3.5/2) + 1) (47.25 X 2.75) =
3 (16.5 X 2.75) = 45.38 168870.024 51112.402
= 2.75 129.94
(47.25 X 3.5) =
2 3.5 (16.5 X 3.5) = 57.75 214927.85 65044.98
165.38
(47.25 X 3.5) =
1 3.5 (16.5 X 3.5) = 57.75 214927.85 65044.98
165.38
(4.1 +
(47.25 X 5.85) =
G (3.5/2)) = (16.5 X 5.85) = 96.53 359226.335 108723.67
276.413
5.85

Considering, for longer side of the building (θ = 00); Cp = 1.5

for shorter side of the building (θ = 900); Cp = 1.3

Design wind pressure for all floors (Pz) = 866.4 N/m2

Wind force (F) = Cp x A x Pz

TABLE – 3:
 NODAL LOAD (KN)
FLOOR AT LONGER SIDE AT SHORTER SIDE
(FL/7) (FS/3)
3 24.13 17.04
2 30.7 21.7
1 30.7 21.7
G 51.32 36.24