Interpretation of full-scale strain data from wind pressures on a low-rise structure

This paper presents a study on the structural performance of a low-rise building under high-wind action, derived from the data analysis of a long-term full-scale monitoring program (1997-2000). Experimentation and full-scale measurements are critical in the study of wind-pressure-induced loading associated with complex phenomena such as three-dimensional flow fields and non-stationary winds. Recorded pressure data and corresponding deformations (strains) on selected portions of the structural frame in the proximity of the pressure transducers are evaluated and compared. The system under investigation is unique since it is located in a complex topography (coastal) environment, for which even the interpretation of basic wind and pressure data becomes challenging. The correspondence of the observed data with the United States wind load specifications (ASCE-7) is investigated both from the perspective of the loads (pressures) and of the deformation response predictions. The structural performance is evaluated through the comparison of the recorded strains with predicted deformations, derived from the application of the corresponding external wind pressure loading to a simplified structural model simulating the behavior of an instrumented region of the building. Results show good agreement between measured pressure coefficients and selected values estimated through the ASCE-7 specifications, especially in areas of positive pressures where the predictions are consistently larger than the recorded data. Reasonable and consistent correspondence was also found from the analysis of the strains in structural members.