Back to results

Virginia Tech

Sensitivity of Steel Purlins to Changes in Application of Wind Loads

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This project studied the effects of wind tunnel test loads applied to purlins in low rise steel buildings compared to those determined with currently recognized wind loading provisions. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) database of low-rise building wind tunnel test data, which was collected at the University of Western Ontario (UWO) boundary layer wind tunnel, was used to model a realistic wind load scenario. Pressure coefficient data recorded in the database was applied statically to individual purlins in a typical design for the size of buildings studied. These results were then compared to those obtained using the wind design provisions in ASCE 7-16 Chapter 30 for Components and Cladding. The primary data of interest was shear and moment values along the length of the purlins, which were modeled as continuous beams. Comparisons were made between the resultant shear and moment from both the wind tunnel load and ASCE 7-16 load values at 1-foot increments along the length of the purlin. The results showed that the overall peak values obtained from wind tunnel test loads were 3% to 49% higher than those calculated using ASCE 7-16 for purlins that were on the windward edge of the building. Purlins on the interior of the building varied in whether they exceeded the loads calculated with ASCE 7. Changing the height of the structure and the terrain roughness both increased the number of purlins that were lower than the values provided in ASCE 7-16 in the interior of the structure.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Civil Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2020

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Douglas, Mary Keith
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Hebdon, Matthew H.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Jacques, Eric Jean-Yves
  • Charney, Finley A.

Subjects

dc:subject × 4

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:26647
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/99140

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Douglas, Mary Keith. Sensitivity of Steel Purlins to Changes in Application of Wind Loads. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/99140