Wind loads are the pressures and forces that wind exerts on a structure and its components. In the United States they are calculated under ASCE 7, which the building code adopts, from the site’s basic wind speed, exposure, height and the shape of the structure.
Wind loads act on the whole structure, pushing it sideways, and on individual components such as cladding, screens and rooftop equipment. In a building, the main wind-force-resisting system is designed for the first; components and cladding are designed for the second, often at higher local pressures. See lateral loads.
Where wind matters in parking
- Lateral system. Open garages present less surface to the wind than enclosed buildings, but the frame, shear walls or moment frames must still resist it. See moment frames and shear walls.
- Facade screens. Perforated panels, mesh and graphic panels catch wind and need adequate supports. See perforated panels.
- Rooftop elements. Solar canopies, light poles and signs on exposed top decks see high winds and uplift.
- Hurricane regions. Coastal codes add higher wind speeds and debris requirements.
The Parkonomics view
In parking, wind design rarely decides the frame but often decides the screen. When a facade or rooftop canopy is added late, confirm that someone has run the wind loads on it and on what it is bolted to.
Related terms: Lateral Loads, Seismic Loads, Perforated Panels, Solar Canopy, Shear Wall, Out-of-Phase Movement