Wind Loads on Non-Building Structures Using ASCE 7-10

Abstract

The wind load provisions of Chapter 6 in ASCE 7-05 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures have been reorganized into six chapters in the 2010 edition. Technical changes include the introduction of new wind speed maps to be used with a 1.0 load factor for LRFD and a 0.6 load factor for ASD, the reintroduction of Exposure D for water surfaces in Hurricane-Prone Regions, and revised wind-borne debris regions. The present guideline Wind Loads and Anchor Bolt Design for Petrochemical Facilities (1997) by ASCE Petrochemical Energy Committee is commonly used in the industry for calculating wind loads on nonbuilding structures and components. The new edition of this publication Wind Loads for Petrochemical and Other Industrial Facilities was released in September 2011 based on the provisions of ASCE 7-05. This paper addresses the important changes to the wind load provisions of ASCE 710 for non-building structures and components. This paper also provides comparative parametric studies of wind loads calculated using the analytical procedures based on the 2011 edition of Wind Loads for Petrochemical and Other Industrial Facilities and the provisions of ASCE 7-10 for new non-building structures and components, including pipe racks, open equipment structures, and vertical vessels.