5.

9 Example 9 A pitched-free roof

Design wind loads are required for a pitched-free roof over a minerals storage area near
Hobart, Tasmania. The relevant information is as follows :

Location : Tasmania (Region A3)

Upwind terrain : Suburban-industrial terrain for 1 km in all directions,
except for 300 metres of open water starting at 200 metres from the site
for the south to west quadrant.
Topography : ground slope less than 1 in 20 for greater than 5 kilometres
in all directions.
Dimensions : average roof height : 15 metres
Horizontal dimensions: 20 metres 40 metres (rectangular planform).
Roof pitch : 10 degrees.
Orientation : the main axis of the structure is orientated NNW-SSE

15 m

40 m
20 m

Figure 5.18 Pitched-free roof over a storage area

Regional wind speed
According to the Building Code of Australia (BCA), the structure should be treated as
Level 2. Hence take average recurrence interval, R, for loading and overall structural
response equal to 500 years.
From Table 3.1 in AS/NZS1170.2, V500 = 45 m/s (Region A)

Wind direction multiplier

Wind direction multipliers for Hobart (Region A3) are given in (Table 3.2). Values range
from 0.80 (NE to S) to 1.0 (NW).

Terrain-height multiplier
z=h=15 m, Assume full Terrain Category 3 multipliers for north through east to south,
Mz,cat = M15,cat3 = 0.89
For SW through NW directions, account should be taken of the open water terrain, using
Section 4.2.3. Since structure height is 15 metres, the terrain-height multipliers should be
averaged from a distance xi to (1000+xi) upwind of the structure (see Figure 4.1).
By Equation (4.2), the lag distance, xi
1.25

1.25

z
15

z0 r
0.2

198.8 m 200 metres

(0.3)(0.2)
(0.3) z0 r
The terrain for 1000m beyond 200m upwind for SW, W, NW, consists of 300m of Terrain
Category 2 followed by 700 metres of Terrain Category 3,

M z ,cat

(1.05)(300) (0.89)(700)
0.938 (for south-west, west and north-west directions)
1000

Shielding
There are no other buildings of greater height in any direction. Take Ms, equal to 1.0 for
all directions.
Topography
Topographic Multiplier, Mt = Mh = 1.0
Site wind speed
Site wind speed for North direction, Vsit,N = 45(0.85)(0.89)(1.0)(1.0) = 34.0 m/s
(Equation 2.2)
For all wind directions, site wind speeds are calculated in the following table.
Direction
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW

V500
(m/s)
45
45
45
45
45
45
45
45

Md

Mz,cat

Ms

Mt

Vsit, (m/s)

0.85
0.80
0.80
0.80
0.80
0.85
0.90
1.00

0.89
0.89
0.89
0.89
0.89
0.938
0.938
0.938

1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0

1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0

34.0
32.0
32.0
32.0
32.0
35.9
38.0
42.2

Design wind speeds

Vdes, can be obtained from Vsit, from the following graph, for the four wind directions
orthogonal to the main axes of the structure:

Vdes,ENE = 33.0 m/s (largest from NNE to ESE sector)

Vdes,SSE = 34.0 m/s (largest from ESE to SSW sector)
Vdes,WSW = 40.1 m/s (largest from SSW to WNW sector)
Vdes,NNW = 42.2 m/s (largest from WNW to NNE sector)

Aerodynamic shape factor

Net pressure coefficients for pitched free roofs for wind normal to the ridge line are
obtained from Table D5.
For empty under case :
Cp,w = -0.3, or +0.4

Cp, = -0.4, or 0.0

For blocked under case :

Cp,w = -1.2

Cp, = -0.9

For wind parallel to the ridge, pressure coefficients are obtained from Table D4(A)
For blocked under case :
Cp,n = -1.0 for first 20m from leading edge (windward half);
-0.8 for 20-40m from leading edge (leeward half)

Area reduction factors (Section D1.2 and Table 5.4)

Tributary area of each roof half = 40 10 = 400 m2
Ka = 0.8 (Table 5.4)
Local net pressure factors (Section D1.3 and Table D1)
Cases 1 and 2 apply
a2 = 42 = 16 m2; 0.25a2 = 4 m2
For areas between 16m2 or less within a distance of 4 m from a roof edge or the ridge,
K = 1.5
For areas of 4 m2 or less within a distance of 2 m from a roof edge, or the ridge, K = 2.0
Dynamic response factor
Cdyn = 1.0 (natural frequency greater than 1.0 Hertz) (Section 6.1)

Design wind pressure for major framing members and columns - ultimate limit states:
For WSW wind (normal to ridge line)
Load case 1 (to give maximum drag empty under)
Net normal pressure on windward roof slope:
Cfig = Cp,n Ka = +0.4 (0.8) = 0.32
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (40.1)2 (0.32)(1.0) = 309 Pa
Net pressure across roof surface = 0.31 kPa
Net normal pressure on leeward roof slope:
Cfig = Cp,n Ka = -0.4 (0.8) = -0.32
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (40.1)2 (-0.32)(1.0) = -309 Pa
Net pressure across roof surface = -0.31 kPa
Load case 2 (to give maximum downwards force empty under)
Net normal pressure on windward roof slope:
Net pressure across roof surface = 0.31 kPa
Net normal pressure on leeward roof slope:
Cfig = Cp,n Ka = 0.0 (0.8) = 0.0
Net pressure across roof surface = 0.0 kPa
Load case 3 (to give maximum uplift blocked under)
Net normal pressure on windward roof slope:
Cfig = Cp,n Ka = -1.2 (0.8) = -0.96
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (40.1)2 (-0.96)(1.0) = -926 Pa
Net pressure across roof surface = -0.93 kPa

Net normal pressure on leeward roof slope:

Cfig = Cp,n Ka = -0.9 (0.8) = -0.72
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (40.1)2 (-0.72)(1.0) = -695 Pa
Net pressure across roof surface = -0.69 kPa
For NNW wind (parallel to ridge line)
Negative pressure case (assume blocked under)
For first 20 m from NNW end of roof:
Cfig = Cp,n Ka = -1.0 (0.8) = -0.80
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (42.2)2 (-0.80)(1.0) = -855 Pa
Net pressure across roof surface = -0.85 kPa
For 20-40 m from NNW end of roof:
Cfig = Cp,n Ka = -0.8 (0.8) = -0.64
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (42.2)2 (-0.64)(1.0) = -684 Pa
Net pressure across roof surface = -0.68 kPa

Positive pressure case (assume blocked under)

For first 30m from NNW end of roof:
Cfig = Cp,n Ka = +0.4 (0.8) = +0.32
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (42.2)2 (+0.32)(1.0) = +342 Pa
Net pressure across roof surface = +0.34 kPa
For 30-40m from NNW end of roof:
Cfig = Cp,n Ka = +0.2 (0.8) = +0.16
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (42.2)2 (+0.16)(1.0) = +171 Pa
Net pressure across roof surface = +0.17 kPa
For 30-40m from NNW end of roof:
Cfig = Cp,n Ka = -0.4 (0.8) = -0.32
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (42.2)2 (-0.32)(1.0) = -342 Pa
Net pressure across roof surface = -0.34 kPa
For SSE winds, factor above loads by (34.0/42.2)2 = 0.65
This may be the dominant load case for some parts of the structure (e.g. columns at SSE
end).
Frictional drag
Frictional drag should be calculated according to Clause D3.2, for wind directions (NNW
and SSE) parallel to the ridge.

For top surface roof sheeting , assume Cfig = Cf = 0.02

For bottom roof surface, with exposed members, take Cfig = Cf = 0.04 (Table D3)
Then frictional drag force per unit area, f = (0.5)(air)[Vdes,]2 Cfig.Cdyn
For upper surface for NNW wind direction,
f = (0.5)(1.2)[42.2]2 (0.02) (1.0) = 21.4 Pa
Drag force on upper surface = 21.4 40 20/cos 10o = 17384 N = 17.4 kN
For lower surface,
f = (0.5)(1.2)[42.2]2 (0.04) (1.0) = 42.7 Pa
Drag force on lower surface = 42.7 40 20/cos 10o = 34720 N = 34.7 kN
Total horizontal force due to frictional drag = 17.4 + 34.7 = 52.1 kN

Design wind pressure for cladding elements and purlins - ultimate limit states:
For areas between 4 m2 and 16 m2 within a distance of 4 m from WSW roof edge or the
ridge.
Cfig = Cp,n Ka K= +0.4 (1.0) (1.5) = 0.6
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (40.1)2 (0.6)(1.0) = 579 Pa
Net downward pressure across cladding = 0.58 kPa
Cfig = Cp,n Ka K= -1.2 (1.0) (1.5) = -1.8
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (40.1)2 (-1.8)(1.0) = -1737 Pa
Net upward pressure across cladding = -1.74 kPa
For areas of 4 m2 or less within a distance of 2 m from WSW roof edge, or the ridge.
Cfig = Cp,n Ka K= +0.4 (1.0) (2.0) = 0.80
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (40.1)2 (0.80)(1.0) = 772 Pa
Net downward pressure across cladding = 0.77 kPa
Cfig = Cp,n Ka K= -1.2 (1.0) (2.0) = -2.4
pn = (0.5 air) Vdes,2 Cfig Cdyn = (0.5)(1.2) (40.1)2 (-2.4)(1.0) = -2316 Pa
Net upward pressure across cladding = -2.32 kPa