Wind Effects on a Tall Building with Square Cross-Section and Mid-Side Base Columns: Database-Assisted Design...

Area of Science:

• Structural Engineering
• Wind Engineering
• Computational Mechanics

Background:

• High-rise buildings require robust wind-resistant designs.
• Database-Assisted Design (DAD) offers a systematic approach to structural analysis.
• Understanding wind load effects on square-plan structures is crucial for safety and efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply the Database-Assisted Design (DAD) method to the wind design of high-rise buildings.
• To compare structural responses of a square-plan building subjected to corner winds versus face winds.
• To evaluate the implications for historical building codes and designs, such as the Citicorp Building.

Main Methods:

• Utilized publicly available wind tunnel data and DAD procedures.
• Analyzed structural dynamics and second-order load-deformation effects.
• Compared overturning moments and demand-to-capacity indexes (DCIs) for critical structural members.

Main Results:

• Corner winds resulted in approximately 20% lower along-wind and 50% lower across-wind overturning moments compared to face winds.
• Peak axial forces in legs and DCIs in mid-side mast columns were 20%-30% lower under corner winds.
• The study confirmed a potential interpretation of 1970s NYC building codes allowing face-wind design assumptions for square structures.

Conclusions:

• Corner winds are less demanding than face winds for square-plan high-rise buildings.
• The findings suggest that historical wind design practices might have underestimated the benefits of considering corner wind effects.
• A re-examination of the design and retrofit history of structures like the Citicorp Building may be warranted based on these results.