Example: Determine the external wind pressure on the rigid-gabled frame of a school

building shown below. The structure is located in a suburb of Chicago, IL, where the
terrain is representative of exposure B. the wind direction is normal to the ridge as
shown. The design wind pressures are given as:
pz =q z GC p

for windward wall

ph=q h G C p for leeward wall and roof

Use the table below to determine Cp values for the roof. (h= mean roof height, L=
horizontal dimension of the building).
Use the following data: basic wind speed = 54 mph = 24.4 meter/sec ; K d = 1; Kzt = 1.0;
G=0.85, h: mean roof height, z: story height.

Dimensions are in meters

Roof Pressure Coefficients, Cp, for use with qh
Windward

Wind
Directi
on

Angle,
h/l

Normal
to
ridge
for

0.25
0.5

10

1.0

Surface
Windward Wall

(degrees)

Angle,

10

15

20

25

30

35

45

60#

-0.7
-0.18

-0.5
0.0*

-0.3
0.2

-0.2
0.3

-0.2
0.3

0.0*
0.4

0.4

0.01

-0.9
-0.18

-0.7
0.18
-1.0
0.18

-0.4
0.0*

-0.3
0.2

-0.2
0.2

-0.2
0.3

0.0*
0.4

0.01

-0.7
0.18

-0.5
0.0*

-0.3
0.2

-0.2
0.2

0.0*
0.3

0.01

-1.3**
-0.18

Wall Pressure Coefficient Cp

L/B
Cp
All values
0.8

(degrees)
15
2
0
-0.3 -0.5 -0.6
10

-0.5

-0.5

-0.6

-0.7

-0.6

-0.6

Use With
qz

Leeward Wall

Side Wall

0-1
2
4
All Values

-0.5
-0.3
-0.2

qh

-0.7

qz

Wind Directionality Factor Kd

Structural Type
Buildings
Main wind force-resisting system
Components and Cladding
Chimneys, tanks, and similar structures
Square
Round or hexagonal
Trussed towers
Triangular, square, rectangular
All other cross sections

Kd
0.85
0.85
0.90
0.95
0.85
0.95

Velocity Pressure Exposure Coefficient Kz

Height z above Ground Level
Exposure
ft
m
B
C
0-15
0-4.6
0.57 (0.70)*
0.85
20
6.1
0.62 (0.70)
0.90
25
7.6
0.66 (0.70)
0.94
30
9.1
0.70
0.98
40
12.2
0.76
1.04
50
15.2
0.81
1.09
60
18
0.85
1.13
70
21.3
0.89
1.17
80
24.4
0.93
1.21
90
27.4
0.96
1.24
100
30.5
0.99
1.26
120
36.6
1.04
1.31
140
42.7
1.09
1.36
160
48.8
1.13
1.39
180
54.9
1.17
1.43

D
1.03
1.08
1.12
1.16
1.22
1.27
1.31
1.34
1.38
1.40
1.43
1.48
1.52
1.55
1.58

Solution:
Mean roof height, h=

Roof slope:

Wind Loads on the Roof:

Windward Side:
Determine Cp:

Determine Kz @ h =

Determine Importance factor, I:

Determine qh (Velocity wind pressure at height h):

Determine design wind pressure, p:

Leeward Side:
Determine Cp:

Determine qh (Velocity wind pressure at h):

Determine design wind pressure, p:

Wind Loads on the Wall:

Windward Side:
Determine Cp:

Determine Kz @ h=

Determine qz (velocity wind pressure at height z):

Determine design wind pressure, p:

Leeward Side:
Determine Cp:

Determine Kz @ h =

Determine qh (velocity wind pressure at height h):

Determine design wind pressure, p: