This authoritative guide walks practicing professionals through the complicated process of assessing wind loads on a variety of buildings and other structures as set forth in Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, Standard ASCE 7-98. This revised guide addresses new developments in the wind load provisions of ASCE 7-98, including analytical procedures, simplified procedures, terrain exposures, and internal pressures. In order to clearly identify the scope and limitations of the Standard, the authors provide a brief review of the background material that forms the basis for the Standard's provisions. The book includes a discussion of the general format of an analytical procedure used to determine wind loads and the various wind load parameters involved in this determination, such as velocity pressure, gust response factor, and pressure coefficients. Multiple examples using this analytical procedure to determine wind load are also included and worked out in detail. A section for Frequently Asked Questions is included to help professionals to interpret the provisions.

Guide to the Use of Wind Load Provisions of ASCE 7-98 will assist structural engineers who design buildings and structures following the wind load provisions.

Errata may be downloaded from the ASCE Library.

About the Authors
Kishor C. Mehta, Ph.D., P.E., is Horn Professor of Engineering and former director of the Wind Science and Engineering Research Center at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. He served as chair of the ASCE 7 Task Committee on Wind Loads for ASCE 7-88 and 7-95.

Dale C. Perry (1932-2001) was Dockery Professor in the Department of Architecture at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.