Monday, December 8, 2008

ASCE wind on parapets

How are the wind forces on parapets to be applied to the MWFRS (section 6.5.12.2.4)?  Are you to apply both the +1.5*q windward and the -1.0*q leeward pressures onto the same parapet?  This would in essence create a 2.5*q total force on each parapet of a structure.  This seems to be a larger force than I would expect for the parapets which makes me wonder if I am interpreting the code correctly.

 

Joe Goldbronn, PE