STRUCTURAL SAFETY AND RELIABILITY UNDER WIND ACTION

Abstract The paper describes a model of the wind-loading process to which problems of structural safety and reliability can be related. In the development of this model the pertinent physical factors governing wind loads are described. These factors include the climate of strong winds prevalent at the site of the structure, the aerodynamic forces developed, and the static and dynamic response characteristics of the structure. Certain general properties of strong winds are described. The significance of the aeroelastic stability of the structure in turbulent wind and the dynamic properties of the structure are emphasized. Methods are given for developing a “load history” of the structure under wind action. This consists of “mapping” the aerodynamic response of the structure into the probability domain using the relative frequencies of strong wind extrapolated from climatological data. The reliability and likelihood of damage or unserviceability of the structure can be discussed in terms of this “load history”. The influence of inelastic response characteristics, as well as ultimate load and working load design methods, are considered in relation to the structural reliability and several conclusions are drawn.