The L.R.C. (load-response-correlation) - method a general method of estimating unfavourable wind load distributions for linear and non-linear structural behaviour

Abstract

In current design practice, for quasi-static structures, wind load effects often are defined by the equivalent steady gust model or by a pseudo-steady approach, neglecting the influence of the correlation of the fluctuating pressures over the whole structure. The application of these load patterns may result in an unconservative design when the minima of the wind loads on parts of the structure are more critical for a response considered, depending on its influence function. This problem particularly occurs when the wind load has to be combined with e.g. dead load. Then, for the design an extreme load pattern which causes the maximum interactive response has to be defined. These load patterns may be obtained from wind tunnel tests by a conditional sampling technique. A more efficient approach, the L.R.C.-Method, is presented in this paper enabling systematic studies e.g. on the influence of the static system and on the influence of geometrical non-linearities. In an example of practical application it is shown that the extreme load patterns obtained by the L.R.C.-Method are producing accurate linear peak responses and excellent approximate values for non-linear responses. So to the designing engineer as well as to the wind engineer, an effective tool is presented to describe realistically wind load effects for linear and weakly non-linear structures with quasi-static behaviour.