1 CHAPTER 31 WIND TUNNEL PROCEDURE

2 31.1 SCOPE

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3 The Wind Tunnel Procedure shall be used where required by Sections 27.1.3, 28.1.3, and 29.1.3,

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4 and 30.1.3. The Wind Tunnel Procedure shall be permitted for any building or other structure in
5 lieu of the design procedures specified in Chapter 27 (main wind force resisting system

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6 [MWFRS] for buildings of all heights and simple diaphragm buildings with h  160 ft (48.8 m)),

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7 Chapter 28 (MWFRS of low-rise buildings) and simple diaphragm, low-rise buildings),
8 Chapter 29 (MWFRS for of all other structures), and Chapter 30 (components and cladding

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9 [C&C] for all building types and other structures).
10 The results of numerical Wind Tunnel Procedures (i.e. the use of computational fluid dynamics
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11 for wind engineering purposes) shall be verified, validated by a physical wind tunnel procedure
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in accordance with ASCE 49, and subject to an independent peer review, in accordance with
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13 ASCE 7 Section 1.3.1.3.4.

14 User Note: Chapter 31 may always be used for determining wind pressures for the MWFRS
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15 and/or for C&C of any building or other structure. This method is considered to produce the
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16 most accurate wind pressures and loads of any method specified in this standard.
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17 31.2 TEST CONDITIONS

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18 Wind tunnel tests, or similar tests using fluids other than air, used for the determination of design
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19 wind loads for any building, or other structure, portion of structure, or component, shall be
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20 conducted in accordance with this section. Tests for the determination of the mean, and
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21 fluctuating, and peak forces and pressures shall meet the requirements of ASCE 49.

22 31.3 DYNAMIC RESPONSE

23 Tests for the purpose of determining the dynamic response of a building, or other structure,
24 portion of structure, or component shall be in accordance with Section 31.2. The structural model
25 and associated analysis shall account for mass distribution, stiffness, and damping.

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 1 31.4 LOAD EFFECTS FOR SITE-SPECIFIC BUILDINGS, OTHER STRUCTURES,
2 AND COMPONENTS

3 Load effects for buildings, other structures, and components at a single, specific site, shall be

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4 permitted to be determined in accordance with this section.Wind tunnel tests shall conform with

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5 the requirements of Sections 31.2 and 31.3.

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6 31.4.1 Mean Recurrence Intervals of Load Effects.

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7 The load effect required for strength design shall be determined for the same mean recurrence
8 interval as for the analytical method by using a rational analysis method, as defined in the

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9 recognized literature, for combining the directional wind tunnel data with the directional
10 meteorological data or probabilistic models based thereon. The load effect required for allowable
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11 stress design shall be equal to the load effect required for strength design divided by 1.6. For

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12 buildings or other structures that are sensitive to possible variations in the values of the dynamic
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parameters, sensitivity studies shall be required to provide a rational basis for design
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14 recommendations.
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15 31.4.2 Limitations on Wind Speeds.

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16 The wind speeds, and probabilistic estimates based thereon, shall be subject to the limitations
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17 described in Section 26.5.3.

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18 31.4.3 Wind Directionality.

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19 The directional wind climate based on recorded or simulated directional wind speed data shall be
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20 considered in determining wind loads, and the data shall be presented as part of the wind tunnel
21 report submitted to the Authority Having Jurisdiction. The method for combining wind tunnel
22 model data with information on wind speed and direction at the project site shall also be clearly
23 stated in the Wind Tunnel Report. Variation in the wind direction, based upon uncertainty in the
24 wind climate data, shall be considered when determining the wind loading, and the design wind
25 loads shall be based on the largest values that result from this uncertainty. Consideration of

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 1 uncertainty in the wind direction is not required in the determination of serviceability- related
2 wind effects.

3 31.4.4 Limitations on Loads.

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4 Loads for the MWFRS, determined by wind tunnel testing, shall be limited such that the overall

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5 principal loads in the x and y directions are not less than 80% of those that would be obtained

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6 from Part 1 of Chapter 27 or Part 1 of Chapter 28 for buildings, or Chapter 29 for other

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7 structures. The overall principal load for buildings shall be based on the overturning moment for

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8 flexible buildings and the base shear for other buildings. The overall principal load for other
9 structures shall be based on the overturning moment for flexible structures and the base shear for

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10 other structures.
11 Pressures for C&C, determined by wind tunnel testing, shall be limited to not less than 80%
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12 of those calculated for Zone 4 for walls and Zone 1 for roofs, using the procedure of in
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Chapter 30. These zones refer to those shown in Figures. 30.3-1, 30.3-2A–C, 30.3-3, 30.3-4,
30.3-5A–B, 30.3-6, 30.3-7, and 30.5-1.
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15 The limiting values of 80% may be reduced to 50% for the MWFRS and 65% for C&C if either
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16 of the following conditions applies:

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17 1. There were no specific influential buildings or objects within the detailed proximity
18 model.
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19 2. Loads and pressures from supplemental tests for all significant wind directions in which
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20 specific influential buildings or objects are replaced by the roughness representative of

21 the adjacent roughness condition, but not rougher than Exposure B, are included in the
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22 test results.
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23 31.4.5. Limitations on Wind Loads for Ground-Mounted Fixed-Tilt Solar Panel Systems.

24 For ground-mounted fixed-tilt solar panel systems that meet the limitations and geometry
25 requirements of Section 29.4.5.1, the minimum design wind load based on a wind tunnel study
26 shall not be less than 65% for components and cladding (C&C) and 50% for the main wind force
27 resisting system (MWFRS) of the values resulting from Section 29.4.5, subject to the conditions
28 of Section 31.4.3. Wind load values lower than these limits shall be permitted when an

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 1 independent peer review of the wind tunnel test is performed, in accordance with Section 31.6.
2 The minimum design wind force based on a wind tunnel study for ground-mounted fixed-tilt
3 solar panel systems need not comply with the minimum net pressure of 16 lb/ft2 (0.77 kN/m2)
4 per Section 30.2.2.

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5 31.5 WIND-BORNE DEBRIS

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6 Glazing in buildings in wind-borne debris regions shall be protected in accordance with

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7 Section 26.12.3.

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8 31.56 ROOF-MOUNTED SOLAR COLLECTORS FOR ROOF SLOPES LESS THAN 7

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9 DEGREESLOAD EFFECTS FOR BUILDINGS, OTHER STRUCTURES, AND
10 COMPONENTS USED AT MULTIPLE SITES
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11 31.5.1 Wind Loads.
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Wind loads on roof-mounted solar collectors with roof slope less than 7 degreesbuildings, other
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13 structures, portions of structures, or components used at multiple sites, shall be are permitted to
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14 be determined by wind tunnel tests as generic loads applicable to a range of buildings, by

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15 determining load coefficients for use in the analysis equations of the Directional Procedure in
16 Chapters 27 and 29 for MWFRS and in Part 54 of Chapter 30 for C&C. Alternatively, the
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17 generic loads are permitted to be specified with an analysis method defined in the wind tunnel
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18 test report. It is not required to include specific nearby buildings in the testing when results are to
19 be used for multiple sites.
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20 The Wwind tunnel tests shall conform with the requirements of Sections 31.2 and 31.3. satisfy
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21 ASCE 49, shall meet requirements specific to roof-mounted solar collectors, and shall meet the
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22 additional requirements specific to roof-mounted solar collectors, including the following

23 variables. These requirements include accurately scaled models of solar collectors, including
24 collector tilt angle, row-to-row spacing, aisles or gaps between collector rows compared to the
25 main axes of the building, deflector/shroud shapes, and the geometry of the collector support
26 structure. The tests shall include at least eight rows of collectors, where more than eight rows are
27 applicable, mounted on the roof of representative generic buildings. The models of generic
28 buildings shall be large enough in plan area to capture the wind flow environment over different

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 1 roof zones. The test matrix shall include the range of building plan dimensions, eave height,
2 parapet height, roof slope, and open or enclosed buildings.
3 Data analysis shall consider wind loads from all wind directions. Generic load coefficients shall
4 be calculated to be consistent with coefficients in Chapters 27, 29, and 30, or shall be defined to

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5 apply to an analysis procedure specified in the test report.

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6 The test report shall include data collection methods, data analysis, boundary layerwind field

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7 modeling, collector and buildingwind tunnel model detailsing, measured wind loads and their

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8 relationship to effective wind area, conversion of data into generic coefficients, and conditions of
9 applicability of results to different building types and collector geometry. Wind tunnel results

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10 shall not be extrapolated to geometric configurations that were not anticipated by the wind tunnel

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11 study. Interpolation between two or more tests shall be permitted. The limitations of the wind
12 tunnel study , such as the range of collector and building geometry parameters that were tested,
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13 shall be clearly reported.

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31.5.26.1 Wind Tunnel Test Requirements Limitations on Wind Loads for Rooftop Solar
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15 Collectors.
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16 31.6.1.1 Limitations on Wind Loads for Rooftop Solar Collectors.

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17 For photovoltaic solar collector systems that meet the limitations and geometry requirements of
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18 Fig.ure 29.4-7, the minimum design wind load based on a wind tunnel study shall not be less
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19 than 65% of the values resulting from 29.4-7, subject to the conditions of Section 31.4.3. The
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20 minimum design wind force based on a wind tunnel study for roof-mounted solar collector
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21 systems need not comply with the minimum net pressure of 16lb/ft2 (0.77kN/m2) 16 lb / ft (
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22 0.77 kN/ m2 ) as per ASCE 7-16, Section 30.2.2.

23 31.5.36.1.2 Peer Review Requirements for Wind Tunnel Tests of Roof-Mounted Solar
24 CollectorsBuildings, Other Structures, and Components used at Multiple Sites.

25 For wind loads on buildings, other structures, and components used at multiple sites determined
26 by wind tunnel tests, an independent peer review of the wind tunnel test shall be performed in
27 accordance with Section 31.6. For photovoltaic solar collector systems that meet the limitations

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 1 and geometry requirements of Fig.ure 29.4-7, Wwind load values lower than those indicated in
2 Section 31.5.26.1.1 shall be permitted when an independent peer review of the wind tunnel test is
3 performed, in accordance with this sectionSection 31.6.
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5 31.6 Peer Review Requirement for Wind Tunnel Tests

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6 WhenThe an independent peer review is required by Section 31.5.3 or 31.4.5, it shall be an

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7 objective, technical review performed by knowledgeable reviewer(s) experienced in performing

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8 wind tunnel studies on buildings and similar systems, and in properly simulated atmospheric
9 boundary layers or wind fields. The minimum qualifications for the peer reviewer shall be

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10 include the following:
11  The peer reviewer shall be independent from the wind tunnel laboratory that performed
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12 the tests and report and shall bear no conflict of interest.
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The peer reviewer shall have technical expertise in the application of wind tunnel studies
on buildings, other structures, or components, similar to that being reviewed.
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15  The peer reviewer shall have experience in performing or evaluating boundary layer wind
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16 tunnel studies and shall be familiar with the technical issues and regulations governing
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17 the Wind Tunnel Procedure in ASCE 49, as it is applied to systems similar to solar
18 photovoltaic collectors that use generalized wind tunnel data for designthe building, other
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19 structure, or component under consideration.

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20 The peer reviewer shall review the wind tunnel report, including, but not limited to, data
21 collection methods, data analysis, boundary layerwind field modeling, collector and building,
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22 other structure, or component wind tunnel modeling,, resulting wind loads and their relationship
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23 to effective wind area, conversion of data into GCrn design values, and conditions of
24 applicability of results to different building types, collector geometry, and other relevant issues
25 identified by the reviewer.
26 The peer reviewer shall submit a written report to the Authority Having Jurisdiction and the
27 client. The report shall include, at a minimum, statements regarding the following: scope of peer
28 review with limitations defined; the status of the wind tunnel study at time of review;
29 conformance of the wind tunnel study with the requirements of ASCE 49 and Section 31.65.1;

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 1 conclusions of the reviewer identifying areas that need further review, investigation, and/or
2 clarification; recommendations; and whether, in the reviewer’s opinion, the wind loads derived
3 from the wind tunnel study are in conformance with ASCE 7-16 for the intended use(s).

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4 31.7 WIND-BORNE DEBRIS

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5 Glazing in buildings in wind-borne debris regions shall be in accordance with Section 26.12.3.

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6 31.7 8 CONSENSUS STANDARDS AND OTHER REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

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7 This section lists the consensus standards and other documents that shall be considered part of
8 this standard to the extent referenced in this chapter.

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9 ASCE 49, Wind Tunnel Testing for Buildings and Other Structures, American Society of Civil
10 Engineers, 202012.
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11 Cited in: Sections 31.2, 31.6, 31.6.1.2, C31, C31.4.2, C31.6.1
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