scope:

This International Standard describes the actions of wind on structures and specifies methods of calculating characteristic values of wind loads for use in designing buildings, towers, chimneys, bridges and other structures, as well as their components and appendages. The loads are suitable for use in conjunction with ISO 2394 and other International Standards concerned with wind loads. In particular, this International Standard facilitates the conversion between peak and mean wind speed methodologies and covers the three main storm types, synoptic winds, thunderstorms and tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons).

This International Standard provides the basic methods from which to determine wind loading analytically through the determination of design pressures or orthogonal along-wind and cross-wind forces and moments for structures of simple shape and wind directionality effects, and through wind tunnel or computational determinations of pressure, forces and moments for structures with complex shapes and wind directionality effects resulting in complex combinations of forces and moments.

Structures of unusual nature, size or complexity (e.g. tall buildings, long span bridges, large span roofs, guyed masts, offshore and moving structures) typically require a special engineering study; some guidance is given on the limitations of this International Standard in these cases.

Two methods of analytical determination of design wind loads are given in this International Standard, one based on a peak velocity and the other on a mean velocity. Both methods can be used when dynamic response effects are important, and where they are not important only the peak-velocity method is used in this International Standard by taking the peak dynamic response factor to be unity. To simplify presentation, the method based on the peak velocity is given in the main body of this International Standard and the method based on the mean velocity is given in a normative Annex A.