Role of Wind Engineering in Damage Mitigation

While natural disasters are rarely predictable over long periods of time, they’re inevitable in some locations. So how can you best mitigate damage to buildings and other structures through effective wind engineering?

This 2-part online PDH course curated by leading specialist Dr. Al Nara examines the fundamentals and advanced concepts of wind engineering. The material in this course is suitable for engineers and related professionals who have little to no background in the design and analysis for wind loads. Basic fundamentals of wind engineering will be discussed followed by the latest in the ASCE/SEI 7-2010 standards. The minimum wind design loads and design formulas will be presented in a simplified format for easy use and application.

In essence, this online engineering course offers engineers an opportunity to get familiarized with the general concepts of wind engineering, essential wind design criteria, and how to use the ASCE/SEI minimum design loads for buildings and other structures. This 2-part course includes the materials in Calculating Wind Loads & Structural Interaction as well as more advanced education covering structural engineering design best practices for hurricanes and tornadoes.

Learning Objectives

• Describe wind nature and how wind interacts with structures.
• Understand wind distribution, gusts and speed compared to wind height.
• Explain the design calculations and effects of wind turbulence and damage.
• Clarify the most recent ASCE/SEI regulations and provisions for wind loads.
• Analyze the effectiveness of different structures in withstanding various wind loads including tornadoes and hurricanes.
• Learn how to evaluate cladding as well as the wind load of a free-standing sign.
• Grasp the mathematical principles involved in wind intensity and hurricane formulation.
• Learn how to apply hurricane and tornado calculations by taking into account past instances, occurrences, frequency, wind speeds, velocity components, etc.
• Evaluate 3-D Models for tornadoes, glazed opening designs, terrain exposure, force coefficients, etc. for buildings and other structures.
• Understand pivotal MWFRS requirements and wind load considerations.
• Explain the dynamics of storm surge, atmospheric pressure change, etc.
• Understand the parameters and impact of tornado-generated missiles.
• Identify the most common sources of classification errors and wind engineering considerations for special circumstances.
• Determine how to use integrated multi-protection design for the mitigation of defined disasters.