10/26/23, 4:56 PM Calculation of wind load on rectangular signboards - Eurocode 1

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Eurocode 1
Wind load on signboards (force coefficient)
Description:
Calculation of wind load action effects on signboards with rectangular surface area. The total
horizontal force, horizontal eccentricity, and base overturning moment are calculated from the force
coefficient corresponding to the overall effect of the wind action on the structure
According to:
EN 1991-1-4:2005+A1:2010 Section 7.4.3
Supported
National
Annexes:
Α) Calculation of force coefficients: Only countries that adopt CEN recommended values for section
7.4.3 of EN1991-1-4 are supported. B) Peak velocity pressure: The value of the peak velocity pressure
can be specified manually. Otherwise automatic calculation of peak velocity pressure is supported, in
addition to countries that adopt the CEN recommended values for NDPs, also for the following
National Annexes: Finland, Portugal. The National Annexes of Germamy, Norway, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland are NOT supported (enter peak velocity pressure manually).

Input
Terrain category = I

Basic wind velocity vb = 30 m/s

Width of the signboard wind loaded b= 3 m

area
Height of the signboard wind loaded h= 4.5 m
area
Separation height of the signboard wind zg = 3 m
loaded area from the ground

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10/26/23, 4:56 PM Calculation of wind load on rectangular signboards - Eurocode 1

Notation for wind load on signboards (see also EN1991-1-4 Figure 7.21)

Orography factor at reference height ze c 0 ( z e) = 1

Structural factor c sc d = 1

Nationally Defined Parameters

Air density ρ= 1.25 kg/m3

Additional rules defined in the National = None

Annex for the calculation of peak
velocity pressure qp(ze)
Horizontal eccentricity of center of e /b = 0.25
pressure from the center of the
signboard as a fraction of the width b

Results
Effective wind pressure weff = 2.424 kN/m2
Total wind horizontal force Fw = 32.722 kN
Total wind overturning moment at base Mw = 171.79 kNm

Horizontal eccentricity of the resultant e = ±0.250b = ±0.750 m

wind force

Notes
1. The calculated effective wind pressure weff, total wind force FW, and total wind overturning
moment MW correspond to the total wind action effects and they are appropriate for global
verifications of the element according to the force coefficient method. For local verifications
appropriate wind pressure on local surfaces must be estimated according to the relevant
external pressure coefficients, as specified in EN1991-1-4 §5.2.
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10/26/23, 4:56 PM Calculation of wind load on rectangular signboards - Eurocode 1
2. The calculated wind action effects are characteristic values (unfactored). Appropriate load
factors should be applied for the relevant design situation. For ULS verifications the partial load
factor γQ = 1.50 is applicable for variable actions.

Details
Input Data
Terrain category: = I
Basic wind velocity: vb = 30 m/s
Width of the signboard wind loaded area: b = 3 m
Height of the signboard wind loaded area: h = 4.5 m
Separation height of the signboard wind loaded area from the ground: zg = 3 m
Orography factor at reference height ze: c0(ze) = 1
Structural factor: cscd = 1
Nationally Defined Parameters
Air density: ρ = 1.25 kg/m3
Additional rules defined in the National Annex for the calculation of peak velocity pressure
qp(ze): = None
Horizontal eccentricity of center of pressure from the center of the signboard as a fraction of
the width b: e/b = 0.25
Calculation of peak velocity pressure
Reference area and height
The reference height for the wind action ze is located at the center of the signboard, as specified in
EN1991-1-4 §7.4.3(3). The reference area for the wind action Aref is the wind loaded area of the
signboard, as specified in EN1991-1-4 §7.4.3(3). Therefore:
ze = zg + h / 2 = 3.000 m + 4.500 m / 2 = 5.250 m

Aref = b ⋅ h = 3.000 m ⋅ 4.500 m = 13.50 m2

Basic wind velocity

The basic wind velocity vb is defined in EN1991-1-4 §4.2(2)P as a function of the wind direction and
time of year at 10 m above ground of terrain category II. The value of vb includes the effects of the
directional factor cdir and the seasonal factor cseason and it is provided in the National Annex. In the
following calculations the basic wind velocity is considered as vb = 30.00 m/s.

Terrain roughness
The roughness length z0 and the minimum height zmin are specified in EN1991-1-4 Table 4.1 as a
function of the terrain category. For terrain category I the corresponding values are z0 = 0.010 m and
zmin = 1.0 m.

The terrain factor kr depending on the roughness length z0 = 0.010 m is calculated in accordance with
EN1991-1-4 equation (4.5):

kr = 0.19 ⋅ (z0 / z0,II)0.07 = 0.19 ⋅ (0.010 m / 0.050 m)0.07 = 0.1698

The roughness factor cr(ze) at the reference height ze accounts for the variability of the mean wind
velocity at the site. It is calculated in accordance with EN1991-1-4 equation 4.4. For the examined case
ze ≥ zmin:

cr(ze) = kr ⋅ ln(max{ze, zmin} / z0) = 0.1698 ⋅ ln(max{5.250 m, 1.0 m} / 0.010 m) = 1.0633

Orography factor

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10/26/23, 4:56 PM Calculation of wind load on rectangular signboards - Eurocode 1
Where orography (e.g. hills, cliffs etc.) is significant its effect in the wind velocities should be taken
into account using an orography factor c0(ze) different than 1.0, as specified in EN1994-1-1 §4.3.3. The
recommended procedure in EN1994-1-1 §4.3.3 for calculation of the orography factor c0(ze) is
described in EN1994-1-1 §A.3.
In the following calculations the orography factor is considered as c0(ze) = 1.000.

Mean wind velocity

The mean wind velocity vm(ze) at reference height ze depends on the terrain roughness, terrain
orography and the basic wind velocity vb. It is determined using EN1991-1-4 equation (4.3):
vm(ze) = cr(ze) ⋅ c0(ze) ⋅ vb = 1.0633 ⋅ 1.000 ⋅ 30.00 m/s = 31.90 m/s

Wind turbulence
The turbulence intensity Iv(ze) at reference height ze is defined as the standard deviation of the
turbulence divided by the mean wind velocity. It is calculated in accordance with EN1991-1-4 equation
4.7. For the examined case ze ≥ zmin.

Iv(ze) = kI / [ c0(ze) ⋅ ln(max{ze, zmin} / z0) ] = 1.000 / [ 1.000 ⋅ ln(max{5.250 m, 1.0 m} / 0.010 m) ] =
0.1597

Basic velocity pressure

The basic velocity pressure qb is the pressure corresponding to the wind momentum determined at
the basic wind velocity vb. The basic velocity pressure is calculated according to the fundamental
relation specified in EN1991-14 §4.5(1):
qb = (1/2) ⋅ ρ ⋅ vb2 = (1/2) ⋅ 1.25 kg/m3 ⋅ (30.00 m/s)2 = 562 N/m2 = 0.562 kN/m2

where ρ is the density of the air in accordance with EN1991-1-4 §4.5(1). In this calculation the
following value is considered: ρ = 1.25 kg/m3. Note that by definition 1 N = 1 kg⋅m/s2.

Peak velocity pressure

The peak velocity pressure qp(ze) at reference height ze includes mean and short-term velocity
fluctuations. It is determined according to EN1991-1-4 equation 4.8:
qp(ze) = (1 + 7⋅Iv(ze)) ⋅ (1/2) ⋅ ρ ⋅ vm(ze)2 = (1 + 7⋅0.1597) ⋅ (1/2) ⋅ 1.25 kg/m3 ⋅ (31.90 m/s)2 = 1347 N/m2
⇒ qp(ze) = 1.347 kN/m2

Note that by definition 1 N = 1 kg⋅m/s2.

Calculation of wind forces on the structure
Structural factor
The structural factor cscd is determined in accordance with EN1991-1-4 Section 6. A value of cscd = 1.0
is generally conservative for small structures not-susceptible to wind turbulence effects. In the
following calculations the structural factor is considered as cscd = 1.000.

Force coefficient
The force coefficient cf is given in EN1991-1-4 Sections 7 and 8 depending on the type of structure or
structural element. According to EN1991-1-4 §7.4.3, for signboards with zg ≥ h / 4 or b / h ≤ 1, the force
coefficient is cf = 1.800.

Total wind force

The wind force on the structure Fw for the overall wind effect is estimated according to the force
coefficient method as specified in EN1991-1-4 §5.3.
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10/26/23, 4:56 PM Calculation of wind load on rectangular signboards - Eurocode 1
Fw = cscd ⋅ cf ⋅ qp(ze) ⋅ Aref = 1.000 ⋅ 1.800 ⋅ 1.347 kN/m2 ⋅ 13.50 m2 = 32.722 kN

The total wind force Fw takes into account the overall wind effect. The corresponding effective wind
pressure weff on the reference wind area Aref is equal to:
weff = Fw / Aref = 32.722 kN / 13.50 m2 = 2.424 kN/m2

This effective pressure weff = 2.424 kN/m2 is appropriate for global verifications of the structure
according to the force coefficient method. It is not appropriate for local verifications of structural
elements. For the latter case appropriate wind pressure on local surfaces must be estimated
according to the relevant pressure coefficients, as specified in EN1991-1-4 §5.2.

Overturning moment
According to EN1991-1-4 §7.4.3 the resultant force normal to the signboard should be taken to act at
the height of the center of the signboard. The total overturning moment Mw acting at the base of the
structure is equal to:
Mw = Fw ⋅ (zg + h / 2) = 32.722 kN ⋅ (3.000 m + 4.500 m / 2) = 171.79 kNm

The overturning moment corresponds to the wind action total effect, i.e. it is the total overturning
moment for all the base supports.

Horizontal eccentricity
According to EN1991-1-4 §7.4.3 and the National Annex the resultant force normal to the signboard
should be taken to act with a horizontal eccentricity e. In this calculation the following normalized
eccentricity is considered e/b = ±0.250, where b is the width of the signboard wind loaded area. The
total torsional moment Tw acting at the base of the structure is equal to:
Tw = ±0.250 ⋅ b ⋅ Fw = ±0.250 ⋅ 3.000 m ⋅ 32.722 kN = 24.54 kNm

The torsional moment corresponds to the wind action total effect, i.e. it is the total torsional moment
for all the base supports.

Additional notes

The calculated wind action effects are characteristic values (unfactored). Appropriate load
factors should be applied for the relevant design situation. For ULS verifications the partial load
factor γQ = 1.50 is applicable for variable actions according to EN1990.

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