Overview As of the 2020 Florida Building Code & 2018 International Building Code, ASTM E1996-17 is the adopted reference standard. The title is ‘Standard Specification for Performance of Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, Doors, & Impact Protective Systems Impacted by Windborne Debris in Hurricanes’. (Exterior garage doors & rolling doors are covered by ANSI/DASMA 115 & …
A canopy is a structure which provides overhead protection from the elements such as rain, snow, or sunlight. Canopies can be attached to a structure or they can be free standing with their own supports. They can be constructed of a variety of materials including steel, concrete, aluminum, wood, or even fabric. According to ASCE …
What is a canopy awning & which wind forces should I use to design? Read More »
First, it needs to be said that there is a complicated formula that converts wind velocity to wind pressure. Many wind pressure values can exist from a single wind velocity which vary based on roof height, topography, terrain, even code version, and more. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating based …
Canopies & Wind Understand this – A backyard canopy attached to the back of your house, a pergola/trellis, or a lightweight sunroom/screen room comprise of relatively very little weight and of lesser construction than the structure to which they are attached. Also, consider that a wall of a house continuously supports a roof whereas …
How To Determine Uplift Reactions For Canopies-Carports-Pergolas Read More »
Overview ASCE-7 is the governing referenced standard for design loads on buildings & other structures for building codes throughout the US. ASCE 7 (26.7 of ASCE 7-16) describes the process to which wind speed is converted into wind pressure to design such structures. The formula is based on many variables. One of which is …
ASCE 7 EXPOSURE CATEGORIES AND HOW EXPOSURE ‘D’ WORKS Read More »
The answer varies with location and type of building. There are several ‘risk categories’ associated with a location that determine what wind speed to use. A building that’s a risk category I for example has a lower wind speed requirement than a more important risk category II or III building. We explain risk categories here. …
From the 5th, 6th &7th Edition of the Florida Building Code (2014, 2017, 2020) section 1603.1.4 as well as from section 1603.1.4. of the 2012, 2015, & 2018 International Building Code, construction documents shall show the following: Ultimate design wind speed, Vult (3-second gust), miles per hour and nominal design wind speed (Vasd) as …
What wind information is required for construction documents? Read More »
In terms of determining the risk category to a building component mounted to a building, the component ‘inherits’ the design properties of the structure. So a sign attached to a risk category II structure would be risk category II. If the sign is freestanding and not part of a main structure, while matching the risk …
ASCE Wind Speed Risk Category To Use with Signs & Building Components On-Off Buildings Read More »
Here’s a summary of our Online Calculator & General Terms. These terms are published by Engineering Express to coincide with help menus for our online tools. See also our FLOOD ENGINEERING GLOSSARY for more terms related to flood. LABEL GLOSSARY DESCRIPTION ADDITION ROOF TYPE For sunroom enclosures, roof types can be monoslope for studio, shed, …
Many don’t understand how wind works & state that a product is rated to a specific wind speed. This is false advertising & not true. There’s no such thing as “Rated to XXX MPH wind” This is frequently seen in marketing materials which is a false & misleading statement that comes with many unwritten …
Per the Aluminum Design Manual (ADM) 2015, the allowable bending stress of round tubes shall be determined for the limit states of yielding, rupture, and local buckling: that given by section F.6.1 (compressive yielding), or that given by section F.6.1 (tensile yielding), or that given by section F.6.1 (tensile rupture), or that given by …
Procedure For Calculating Aluminum Box Beams For Bending Read More »
A building is considered “enclosed” if it does not comply with the requirements for open or partially enclosed buildings (ASCE 7-16, Section 26.2, “BUILDING, ENCLOSED”). From the ASCE 7-16 Commentary C26.2 Definitions: BUILDING, ENCLOSED; BUILDING, OPEN; BUILDING, PARTIALLY ENCLOSED; BUILDING, PARTIALLY OPEN: These definitions relate to the proper selection of internal pressure coefficients, (GCpi). “Enclosed,” …
How do I tell if my building is considered “enclosed”? Read More »
A building is considered open if each wall is at least 80 percent open (ASCE 7-16, Section 26.2, “BUILDING, OPEN”). This condition is expressed for each wall by the equation Ao ≥ 0.8 Ag where Ao = total area of openings in a wall that receives positive external pressure, in ft2 (m2) Ag = …
How do I tell if my building is considered an “open building”? Read More »
A building is considered “Partially Enclosed” if it complies with both of the following conditions (ASCE 7-16, Section 26.2, “BUILDING, PARTIALLY ENCLOSED”): the total area of openings in a wall that receives positive external pressure exceeds the sum of the areas of openings in the balance of the building envelope (walls and roof) by more …
How do I tell if my building/enclosure is considered “partially enclosed”? Read More »
The Building Codes in the US reference ASCE-7 for the design of the components and cladding of buildings (26.1.2.2 ASCE 7-10 & ASCE 7-16). Theory Of wind design goes that the smaller the area in consideration, the greater the probability that a maximum burst of wind will occur in that area over any 3 …
While the 1/3 stress increase is all but a memory, this article explains its history & origin. The one-third stress increase has a long history of use in Allowable Stress Design (ASD). It is most commonly used to account for the improbability of two transient loads concurrently acting at their maximum lifetime values– for example, …
The One-Third (1/3) Stress Increase: Where Is It Now? Read More »
