Performance-Based Design of Wood Frame Structures for Wind

Abstract

The ability to warn of high wind events approaching such as hurricanes makes design for wind-induced loads a loss issue and, in general, not a life safety issue such as earthquakes and fire. This is not necessarily always true, i.e. tornado, but is the general perception. Performance based design for wood frame structures stands poised to have its most significant impact in controlling losses during loading events rather than protecting life safety since that is already done well with ASCE-7 load incorporation into structural design. This paper presents a performance-based wind engineering (PBWE) approach with several examples. The examples are all illustrated on a rectangular building and address (1) Occupant comfort; (2) Continued occupancy; and (3) Structural integrity. The procedure begins at the fastener level and is thus based on mechanistic models as much as possible.