PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WIND LOADING STRUCTURES

Examples of probability distributions of structures oscillating under wind action have been selected from a number of studies on aero-elastic models tested in a wind tunnel model of the natural wind. It is shown that many structures under wind action oscillate at one dominant frequency (usually a fundational natural structural frequency) and for comparison purposes the properties of a narrow band, stationary, ergodic, normal process are developed. In most cases the response of a structure under wind excitation is normally distributed and the peak factor, defined as being the number of standard deviations by which the peak hourly response exceeds the mean, lines between 3.5 and 4.5. Two examples of response are given which illustrate processes which are not normally distributed. One where the varibles become significantly dependent, such that the sinusoidal response becomes more regular and the peak factor approaches the square root of 2, and the other where the process shows intermittent characteristics, which can produce peak factors in excess of 8. The mechanism of local loading on cladding is discussed and examples of probability distributions of pressure from three typical regions are given. The effects of intermittency on pressures on streamwise face are shown to be significant with reference to the determination of design loads. /Author/

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  • Corporate Authors:

    Institution of Engineers

    Science House, Gloucester and Essex Streets
    Sydney,   Australia 
  • Authors:
    • MELBOURNE, W H
  • Publication Date: 1977

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  • Accession Number: 00172177
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Apr 12 1978 12:00AM