Equivalent static wind load estimation in wind-resistant design of single-layer reticulated shells

Wind loading is very important, even dominant in some cases, to large-span single-layer reticulated shells. At present, usually equivalent static methods based on quasi-steady assumption, as the same as the wind-resistant design of low-rise buildings, are used in the structural design. However, it is not easy to estimate a suitable equivalent static wind load so that the effects of fluctuating component of wind on the structural behaviors, especially on structural stability, can be well considered. In this paper, the effects of fluctuating component of wind load on the stability of a single-layer reticulated spherical shell model are investigated based on wind pressure distribution measured simultaneously in the wind tunnel. Several methods used to estimate the equivalent static wind load distribution for equivalent static wind-resistant design are reviewed. A new simple method from the stability point of view is presented to estimate the most unfavorable wind load distribution considering the effects of fluctuating component on the stability of shells. Finally, with comparisive analyses using different methods, the efficiency of the presented method for wind-resistant analysis of single-layer reticulated shells is established.