Reducing the Risk of Extreme Wind-Induced Damage

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Evaluate the impact of extreme wind events on buildings and structures using established classification systems and damage patterns
• Assess structural response to wind loading and identify key failure mechanisms in common building systems
• Apply design principles and code-based methods to improve wind resistance in residential and commercial structures
• Interpret post-disaster investigation findings to inform design, construction, and risk mitigation decisions
• Better understand the structural systems used the design of tall buildings, including damping systems.

• Understand wind engineering research trends and activities around the world and how wind tunnel testing methods are used in this field.

Description

Extreme wind events regularly expose critical weaknesses in building design, construction quality, and system performance. Failures under hurricane, tornado, and severe storm conditions can result in structural damage, loss of serviceability, and risk to life. Addressing these risks requires a clear understanding of how wind interacts with buildings, how structures respond, and where failure mechanisms are most likely to occur.

This course provides a structured approach to assessing and mitigating wind-related risk in the built environment. It examines wind loading behaviour, structural response, and common damage patterns based on post-disaster investigations. Design strategies are presented in alignment with current codes and standards used in the International Building Code, with a focus on improving performance across a range of building types, including low-rise and tall structures.

Participants will apply practical concepts related to lateral load-resisting systems, design procedures, and evaluation methods used in both new construction and post-event assessment. The course also introduces key aspects of wind engineering research, including wind tunnel testing and data-driven design approaches, enabling participants to make more informed technical decisions in projects exposed to extreme wind conditions.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for:

• Engineers and engineering technologists involved in structural, building, or infrastructure design
• Architects and building professionals responsible for building performance and resilience
• Technical professionals working in environments exposed to wind-related hazards
• Early-career to senior practitioners seeking to strengthen applied knowledge in wind loading, design, and risk mitigation

Introduction to Wind Forces
Wind forces - Wind pressure distribution on building surfaces - Nature of internal pressures - Factors that impact wind pressures on buildings - Nature of airflow around buildings - Basic principles and terms of aerodynamics as they apply to buildings and structures.

Extreme Wind Events
Nature of hurricanes, tornadoes, and other windstorms - Classification systems - Region of occurrences - Impacts of these events on buildings and structures.

Structural Building Systems for Wind and Lateral Loads
Structural building systems used for lateral loads: moment resisting frames, shear walls and braced frames - Structural principles used in these three categories of systems - Other important structural notions and elements for lateral loads: diaphragm systems, collectors, and torsion - Building irregularities - Application problems that help illustrate how to apply these important structural concepts and principles.

Damage to Structures Caused by Extreme Winds
Detailed discussion of damages to structures caused by extreme wind events - Post-disaster investigations and their most important findings from engineering assessment reports by FEMA and other institutions - Analysis of investigation reports - Typical damages to buildings and structures - Lessons to be learned.

Overview of Wind Engineering Activities and Research
General overview of wind engineering activities and current research around the world - History of the wind engineering field - Brief description of general research methodologies - Summary of current wind engineering activities and research – Wind tunnels

Systems Used in Tall Buildings for Wind Forces
Tall buildings - Principles used in damping systems - Structural history of the skyscraper and how wind forces were addressed- Lateral load resisting systems used in tall buildings using concrete, steel, and composite steel.

Wind Design in Building Codes and Engineering Standards
Wind forces in building codes and other engineering standards - Introduction to the various design procedures and methods used for wind forces – Design examples.

Introduction to the Use of Wind Tunnels in Building Design
Types of wind tunnels – Brief introduction to the wind tunnel procedure in the building codes and engineering standards.

Introduction to Database-Assisted Design
Brief introduction to the modern database-assisted design – History and benefits of database-assisted design – Aerodynamic databases

Safety Assessment and Evaluation of Buildings in the Aftermath of Wind Events
Introduction to the safety assessment of buildings in the aftermath of extreme events – Discussion of a state-of-the-art field manual introduced by the Applied Technology Council (ATC 45) in California and various well-known training programs by the California Office of Emergency Services.