Wind load effects and equivalent static wind loads of tall buildings based on synchronous pressure measurements

This paper addresses the wind load effects and equivalent static wind loads (ESWLs) of tall buildings based on measured synchronous surface pressures in a wind tunnel. The variations of the gust response factors (GRFs) associated with different alongwind responses are studied, pointing out the deficiency of the traditional ESWL modeling based on the GRF associated with the top displacement. The higher mode contributions to various building responses such as top acceleration, story shear force and bending moment at different building elevations are investigated, which reveals the noticeable contributions of higher modes to some important building responses. The comparison of wind load effects with those based on the wind load specification ASCE 7-05 is also conducted. Furthermore, the practical methodology of modeling ESWLs on tall buildings involving the influence of higher mode contributions is proposed. Finally, using the spatiotemporally varying wind load information, the mode shape correction factors required in the high frequency force balance (HFFB) technique are revisited to examine the efficacy of empirical formulations adopted in current practice.