Analytical and experimental studies on the gust response of a 52 m tall steel lattice tower under wind loading

Abstract The design of dynamically sensitive steel lattice towers against wind loads is carried out using a gust response factor (GRF) approach. Most of the international codes for wind loads recommend the GRF which is evaluated using a semi analytical approach considering the modal co-ordinate alone. However, British standards and Australian standards for steel lattice towers recommend different GRFs for the design of main leg members and main bracings, and for serviceability criteria. A full-scale field experiment on a 52 m tall steel lattice tower has been carried out to measure wind characteristics and structural response. The GRF for base bending moment and top deflection have been evaluated using the measured structural response and are compared with those obtained from the IS, AS and BS codes using the measured wind velocities and the terrain roughness lengths.