Abstract
Current methods for estimating design windspeeds in non-hurricane regions of the United States do not distinguish between winds originating from large-scale extratropical pressure systems and small but intense thunderstorms. These two different meteorological phenomena have separate statistical distributions and, based on analyses of four stations, should not be analyzed using a single (mixed) distribution, as is currently the case. From the stations considered, it appears that there may be many sites in the United States where thunderstorm winds dominate the extreme wind climatology (for the return periods relevant to conventional structural design). For thunderstorm-dominated sites, the traditional approach tends to underestimate the design windspeeds and too narrowly models the wind directionality distribution. Since thunderstorms differ from large-scale extratropical winds in the details of wind structure, storm duration, frequency, and directionality, these differences could have an important influence on the future codification of design winds, the safety of structures, and wind tunnel testing. It is recommended that these results be extended to additional sites and include an investigation of thunderstorm wind-induced structural response for several categories of structures.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
