Wind Design Loads on Solid Signs in Southern Iraq Based on Different Design Codes and CFD Analysis

Authors

  • Abbas O. Dawood, Alaa H. Rkaby, Abbas J. Sangoor

Abstract

In south of Iraq the billboards structures are installed based on different codes. Therefore, such billboards and signs are commonly failed during strong winds. This study presented a detailed procedure to determine the design wind loads on solid signs in the south of Iraq based on five codes, i.e., ASCE7-05, UBC97, Iraqi Code IQS 301, Indian Code IS875 Part III and Chinses Standards GB 5763.2. For each code, all factors are presented by considering the topography and environment conditions of the south of Iraq.  Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Analysis through FLUENT software is also performed to ensure which of these codes yield reasonable values and distribution of wind loads on solid signs. It is found that ASCE7-05 yielded more conservative wind loads on solid signs than other codes. The wind forces estimated by all codes ASCE7-05, UBC97, IS 875-Part III and GB 5763.2 are larger than that calculated by CFD analysis by about 70%, 25%, 19% and 15% respectively, except IQS301 that yielded wind forces less than CFD analysis. The Iraqi Code IQS 301 in the present draft is not suitable for determine the design wind loads on signs and billboards structures, and instead  the authors nominated UBC 97 to estimate the wind design loads on solid signs in south of Iraq from economical point of view and the bad soil conditions.

Published

2020-02-29

Issue

Section

Articles