Engineering ToolBox - Resources, Tools and Basic Information for Engineering and Design of Technical Applications!

Wind Load vs. Wind Speed

Wind load on surface - Wind load calculator.

Sponsored Links

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.

Sponsored Links

Related Topics

  • Mechanics

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

Related Documents

Sponsored Links

Search

Search is the most efficient way to navigate the Engineering ToolBox.

Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - Online 3D modeling!

3D Engineering ToolBox Extension to SketchUp - add parametric components to your SketchUp model

Add standard and customized parametric components - like flange beams, lumbers, piping, stairs and more - to your Sketchup model with the Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - enabled for use with older versions of the amazing SketchUp Make and the newer "up to date" SketchUp Pro . Add the Engineering ToolBox extension to your SketchUp Make/Pro from the Extension Warehouse !

Translate this Page

Translate this page to Your Own Language .

About the Engineering ToolBox!

Privacy Policy

We don't collect information from our users. More about

Citation

This page can be cited as

  • The Engineering ToolBox (2011). Wind Load vs. Wind Speed. [online] Available at: https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wind-load-d_1775.html [Accessed Day Month Year].

Modify the access date according your visit.

3D Engineering ToolBox - draw and model technical applications! 2D Engineering ToolBox - create and share online diagram drawing templates! Engineering ToolBox Apps - mobile online and offline engineering applications!

Unit Converter

















































3.15.9

Sponsored Links
.