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Wind Load vs. Wind Speed

Wind load on surface - Wind load calculator.

When moving air - wind - is stopped by a surface - the dynamic energy in the wind is transformed to pressure. The pressure acting the surface transforms to a force

Fw = pd A

     = 1/2 ρ v2 A                               (1)

where

Fw = wind force (N)

A = surface area (m2)

pd = dynamic pressure  (Pa)

ρ = density of air (kg/m3)

v = wind speed (m/s)

Note - in practice wind force acting on a object creates more complex forces due to drag and other effects.

Wind Load Calculator

Wind velocity - wind load on surface

Wind Pressure vs. Wind Speed
Wind Speed
(m/s)
Wind Load1)
(Pa)
1 0.6
2 2.4
3 5.4
4 9.6
5 15
6 22
7 29
8 38
9 49
10 60
11 73
12 86
13 101
14 118
15 135
16 154
17 173
18 194
19 217
20 240
21 265
22 290
23 317
24 346
25 375
26 406
27 437
28 470
29 505
30 540
31 577
32 614
33 653
34 694
35 735
36 778
37 821
38 866
39 913
40 960
41 1009
42 1058
43 1109
44 1162
45 1215
46 1270
47 1325
48 1382
49 1441
50 1500

1) density of air 1.2 kg/m3  

  • 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h = 196.85 ft/min = 2.237 mph
  • 1 Pa = 1 N/m2 = 1.4504x10-4 psi (lb/in2)

Example - Hurricane Wind Load acting on a Wall Surface

A hurricane with wind speed 35 m/s is acting on a 10 m2 wall. The dynamic force can be calculated as

Fw = 1/2 ρ v2 A  

    = 1/2 (1.2 kg/m3) (35 m/s)2 (10 m2)

    = 7350 N

    = 7.35 kN

Or - from the table above the wind load per square metre is 735 N/m2. The total load on the wall can be calculated as

(735 N/m2) (10 m2) = 7350 N

A hurricane acting on a 10 m2 wall creates a force equal to the weight of aprox. 750 kg.

Related Topics

  • Mechanics

    The relationships between forces, acceleration, displacement, vectors, motion, momentum, energy of objects and more.

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