Course Catalogue.

After participating in this course, you will be able to:

• Develop a knowledge of the various extreme wind events, their classification systems, and the response of buildings and structures to wind forces.
• Become familiar with the type of damage caused to homes and other structures by extreme winds.
• Learn the principles of better design and construction for wind forces to reduce damage and the loss of life.
• Be introduced to the general structural systems used to resist wind and the engineering design methods and procedures for wind and lateral loads.
• Become familiar with wind engineering research trends and activities around the world and have an idea about how wind tunnels are used in this field.
• Get introduced to the safety assessment and evaluation of damaged buildings in the aftermath of hurricanes and tornadoes.

Description

Damage from hurricanes, tornadoes, Nor'easter storms and other extreme wind events amount to billions of dollars worldwide every year. These hazards also claim the lives of many people in the affected areas. The quality of building design and construction for these hazards can be improved. Engineers and other building professionals have an essential role to play by improving their knowledge in the field and by designing better and safer buildings and structures.

This course discusses the design and construction of homes and buildings for wind forces and extreme wind events and how to reduce the damage to buildings and structures from harsh winds. First, the nature of wind, hurricanes and tornadoes is discussed along with the currently used classification systems and the impacts of these events on buildings and structures. Then expected damages from extreme winds and the corresponding response of a structure are discussed. The course provides a detailed discussion of damage to structures caused by extreme winds based on findings from post-disaster investigations by some renowned institutions such as FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency in the US. These investigations constitute lessons to learn from. Some recommendations for better design and construction to reduce the risk of damage are given.

Regarding the design aspect, the various structural systems used in buildings to resist the lateral forces of wind will be outlined, including the structural systems and damping systems used in tall buildings for wind, along with some examples. The general structural building design process for wind will be introduced based on current engineering codes and standards in Canada and the US.

The course also includes an overview of ongoing wind engineering research around the world. A general overview of wind tunnels, their types and their use in building design will be outlined. Finally, the course will introduce the attendees to some standard procedures used in the safety assessment and evaluation of damaged buildings in the aftermath of hurricanes and tornadoes.

Course Outline

• Introduction to Wind Forces
• Extreme Wind Events
• Structural Building Systems for Wind and Lateral Loads
• Damage to Structures Caused by Extreme Winds
• Overview of Wind Engineering Activities and Research
• Systems Used in Tall Buildings for Wind Forces
• Wind Design in Building Codes and Engineering Standards
• Introduction to the Use of Wind Tunnels in Building Design
• Introduction to Database-Assisted Design
• Safety Assessment and Evaluation of Buildings in the Aftermath of Wind Events

Who Should Attend
This course is designed for building professionals such as engineers, architects, and other professionals from the building industry. Building professionals will gain important knowledge in wind engineering which will help them in designing and building better homes and structures to withstand extreme wind events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and winds from winter storms as well such as Nor'easter storms.