SCI Wind Load Engine Powers Cladding Manufacturers Software

A consortium of five cladding manufacturers has selected SCI to develop new software for the assessment of wind loading for cladding design calculations. The wind load calculator (WLC) tool calculates dynamic pressures on walls and roofs using a full building approach to the assessment of load on each of the building surfaces. Currently buildings are rectilinear with a choice of flat, mono-pitch and duo-pitch roofs.

Location can be defined manually entering a UK National Grid Reference (NGR) or by using an interactive map.  The software collects the appropriate information about a location by interaction with the well known BREVe component.  Wind loading is calculated using the directional method.  The user can choose to design roofs or walls or both.  The WLC calculates wind loads following Standards BS 6399-2 and EN 1991-1-4.

The different loads (pressures and suctions) arising on surfaces from each wind direction generate recognisable wind zones on wall and roof surfaces. The WLC tool provides a composite view of these zones by considering the overlay of the pressure/suction diagrams (one from each of the 4 directions). The composite view enables cladding designers to look in detail at design loads driving the design of cladding resistance, particularly fixing requirements.

For further information, please contact:

Martin Heywood
Associate Director
Tel: +44 (0)1344 636578
Email: m.heywood@steel-sci.com