This document serves as tutorial to show the RAM Elements tool for wind loads generation on load areas.
Open the “Simiu Handbook, ASCE 7 - Ex. 5.2.1 (wind parallel to long side).retx” model. The structure is based on Example 5.2.1 of the Handbook for Design of Buildings for Wind by Emil Simiu, and it is a concrete building with a configuration shown in the following figure.
3D model
It is a 95 ft high office building with rectangular shape in plan (60 ft x 125 ft), eave height 95 ft and flat roof. It is considered as rigid and enclosed. Exposure B from all directions is selected.
Note that the distribution of bays in the longitudinal direction of the model responds to the criteria of the ASCE 7-16 Chapter 27 to obtain the distances from the windward edge of the building to the zones where there is differenced wind effect on the roof.
Lateral view with bays distribution
Top view with bays distribution
The next lateral loads will be applied in this example:
After the example is completed, it will result very easy to include the following additional load cases:
Edit the information in the manager fields using the following data:
Note. The options to select the pressure type are:
Note. The building dimensions are used to fill the geometry of the building. These field are defined in ASCE/SEI 7-16, Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, chapter 26 and chapter 27, Directional Procedure, Part 1.
Note. The previous data is defined in ASCE/SEI 7-16, Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, chapter 26 and chapter 27, Directional Procedure, Part 1.
Tip. The information in the manager dialog will be loaded for each of the previously saved definitions, thus the building information and other data that is the same for different new definitions for the conditions of the model will be already set for the next time.
Note. Flow type, Free roof type and Pressure direction are fields in the Roof parameters group that are enabled only when the Enclosure category is set to Open to handle wind loads for roofs of open structures.
Note. The tool can assign loads for selected areas of the same type, for example, if the areas in the selection are the whole side wall of the structure, these can be identified as Windward, Leeward or Side walls. As it will be seen in this example, the areas in the roof have more details to consider thus a good result with the assigning tool may be obtained.
4. On the Spreadsheet ribbon tab, select the Assign wind pressure tool in the Active spreadsheet tools
The dialog to assign Wind load on areas opens.
Windward pressures on all West walls
The pressure values and the global direction for the wind load are printed in the Surface load spreadsheet.
Now, it is time to use the tool for the rest of the load areas in the model.
Leeward pressures on all East walls
Then select the Wind loads option for a desired load condition: