×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

IBC 2006 Code
3

IBC 2006 Code

IBC 2006 Code

(OP)
I would appreciate some clarifications on wind speed and exposure categories, per IBC 2006.
For hurricane-prone regions, exposure C is to be used, with the appropriate wind speed. What about tornadoes? Is the max. wind speed limited to 90mph, and the  exposure D, for tornado-prone regions? This does not look right to me.

RE: IBC 2006 Code

Tornados are typically between 150 mph and 250 mph IF...and I say if....you are specifically designing a tornado shelter.  You can get a free copy of FEMA 361 by calling.  This document outlines required design guidelines for tornado/storm shelters (including hurricanes).

In most areas of the country where tornados are frequent, the design is usually set at 90 mph.  Statistically, the odds of a building getting hit by a tornado are small and the cost/benefit ratio to actually tornado-proof a building is quite large.

RE: IBC 2006 Code

Basically tornadoes are considered an extreme event, something we don't typically design for unless the structure must remain functional after the event, such as a hospital or tornado shelter, or if damage to the structure would be hazardous to the public, such as a nuclear power plant.  The ASCE provides a wind speed map for tornadic gust wind speeds that go up to 200 mph for a recurrence interval of 100,000 years.  As JAE stated, tornado-proofing a building will be disproportionately exspensive, to the point you may not be able to afford a building to tornado proof.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources