Wind Load on Multiple Cooling Towers
Wind Load on Multiple Cooling Towers
(OP)
I am designing common supporting platform (20 ft above ground) for 3 cooling towers (shaped as solid parallelepiped 14 ft width, 48 ft length and 18 ft height) with 9 ft space between them (14 ft 1st tower, 9 ft space, 14 ft 2nd tower, 9 ft space and 14 ft 3rd tower). Should wind load (perpendicular to tower’s length) be applied on all three towers or just on 1st one? How to calculate wind load per ASCE-7? Can force coefficient Cf for solid sign be used? Any comments as well as references would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Ibro Vehabovic
Thanks
Ibro Vehabovic






RE: Wind Load on Multiple Cooling Towers
RE: Wind Load on Multiple Cooling Towers
RE: Wind Load on Multiple Cooling Towers
If the intake is on both sides, You will not get hat much wind load because the wind will flow through and comes in contact with the water spray and exits at the top of the cooling tower.
You also want to consider design case where the cooling towers are empty. This will increase the wind uplift.
I would investigate that fact as well.
Regards
RE: Wind Load on Multiple Cooling Towers
RE: Wind Load on Multiple Cooling Towers
Use C&C and be done with it! As engineers, we owe it to our clients and ourselves to do the utmost and due diligence to do things the right way. Supports for cooling towers (especially if they are braced) should not be designed as C&C.
We can be conservative in selecting members that may be stressed up to 70% of their capacity. But not C&C and members stressed to 70%.
I applaud Ibrov for his question because few years back I was faced with the very same situation. I did my research, I asked around and then let my engineering judgment be my last call.
RE: Wind Load on Multiple Cooling Towers
RE: Wind Load on Multiple Cooling Towers
RE: Wind Load on Multiple Cooling Towers