Professional development program: Wind forces

This monograph aims at expanding the architect's understanding of wind forces as they apply to buildings so that professional services can be rendered by and for the design team with the requisite accountability. The sequence of discussions in this monograph aims first at introducing fundamental concepts as well as associated vocabulary and definitions. Step by step, a technical basis is developed which allows examination of building behavior when subjected to wind. Once these concepts are treated, structural aspects of building behavior will follow. Structural behavior is explained both in terms of structural concepts and the forces induced by wind which must be resisted. Next, construction practices, as established by building codes and standards, will be discussed. Finally and most importantly, construction practices applicable for new and retrofitted existing buildings will be considered, since these respond to the practical need of architects.