NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF THE PIPE HEIGHT IMPACT ON STRUCTURAL LOADING CAUSED BY WIND PRESSURE

Abstract

Wind load calculations are crucial in structural engineering, particularly in scenarios such as steel pipe installations where exposure to external forces is significant. To investigate the wind's effect on structures, data is collected on wind impacts at specific locations, and mathematical models describing wind effects are developed and enhanced. This study focuses on wind load determination for a steel pipe using local wind speed data following Eurocode 1: Actions on structures – Part 1-4: General actions – Wind actions. Through rigorous calculations based on equations provided by the standard, the peak wind velocity, turbulence intensity, and resulting wind pressure distribution on the pipe surface are determined. Additionally, a detailed analysis is conducted on the application of wind pressure via developed FEMAP API script, facilitating precise load definition on FEM shell elements, application of calculated force which represents wind pressure on FEM shell elements on half of the model, and application of FEMAP API script calculated force which represents wind pressure on FEM shell elements on half of the model. The results highlight the importance of accurate wind load assessment in ensuring structural integrity and safety.