Wind Load Distribution Research Articles

Special considerations in design of an asymmetrical shear wall building

Two special considerations in the design of the Harbour Square Apartment Complex in Toronto are presented. Firstly, due to the irregular shape and overall size of the building, volumetric change of the floor slab can become a potential problem. Actual shrinkage tests were carried out on the materials used to estimate the ultimate shrinkage strain. A scheme of permanent and temporary construction joints was designed to solve the floor slab's shrinkage problem.Secondly, due to the asymmetrical nature of the floor plan, the distribution of wind loads on different shear walls was calculated based on a special three-dimensional computer program, taking torsion of the building into account. This program treats the shear walls as thin-walled beams coupled by the diaphragm action of the floors. The program is efficient both in terms of input data and CPU time and is believed to be a viable design tool for highrise shear wall buildings.

Analysis and Design of Hyperbolic Cooling Towers

The analysis and design of a given hyperbolic cooling tower for a nuclear power plant are reviewed. Analysis is performed using available computer programs. Various loading conditions on the tower such as wind, earthquake, thermal, and self-weight, are considered and their effects are combined and compared. A number of wind-load distributions, used in Britain, Belgium, and the US, are taken for the analysis; and the corresponding results are compared. The effects of various conditions of base restraint on the results are also studied. The design of the reinforcement for the shell is given with details of the actual reinforcement layout. It was concluded that wind loading is the governing design condition for the hyperbolic towers. Also, it is suggested that ultimate design methods be used with adequate load and capacity-reduction factors. To prevent widespread cracking of the concrete, the design should call for reinforcement bars placed in double layers in both faces of the shell.

Wind Loads in Dome-Cylinder and Dome-Cone Shapes

Test data are presented for wind load distribution on hemispheres and four domes of varying span that are to rise ratio-supported by cylinders of several heights. Two tests for domes on a truncated cone are also presented. The results are given in the form of pressure coefficient contour maps of the surface.

Wind Loads on Basic Dome Shapes

Test data are presented for wind load distribution on hemispheres and domes, where the models were placed on the floor of the wind tunnel in a boundary layer flow. Three hemispheres tests were conducted. Two tests were made on hemispheres of different size with different Reynold's numbers and differing relationship to the boundary layer; both models were spun and lightly polished. A third hemisphere test was made with an artificially roughened surface. Four domes (spun and lightly polished) of varying span to rise ratio were also tested. The results are presented in the form of pressure coefficient contour maps of the surface.