Summary

Prepared by the Wind Tunnel Testing for Buildings and Other Structures Standards Committee of the Codes and Standards Activities Division of the Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE.

Wind Tunnel Studies for Buildings and Other Structures , Standard ASCE/SEI 49-12, provides the minimum requirements for conducting and interpreting wind tunnel tests to determine wind loads on buildings and other structures. Wind tunnel tests are used to predict the wind loads and responses of a structure, structural components, and cladding to a variety of wind conditions. This Standard includes commentary that elaborates on the background and application of the requirements.

Topics include:

simulation of wind in boundary-layer wind tunnels; local and area-averaged winds loads; overall wind effects; aeroelastically active structures; extreme wind climate; and snow load model studies.

The requirements outlined in this Standard satisfy requirements for wind tunnel testing set out in Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures , Standard ASCE/SEI 7. The loads produced by these tests are suitable for use in building codes and standards.

This Standard will be useful to those who design, conduct, and interpret wind tunnel tests for buildings, including structural engineers, architects, and building code officials.