ASSESSMENT OF WIND LOAD FACTORS FOR HURRICANE-PRONE REGIONS

We study the issue of whether the wind load factors specified in the A SCE 7-95 Standard for hurricane-prone regions on the one hand and extr atropical storm regions on the other are mutually consistent with resp ect to risk. We consider structures or elements whose design is govern ed by wind loads and for which wind directionality effects are not sig nificant. We present estimates according to which ASCE 7-95 Standard p rovisions for wind loads inducing the design strength result in (1) sa fety levels that are considerably lower for hurricane-prone than for e xtratropical storm regions, and (2) estimates of mean recurrence inter vals of hurricane wind loads inducing the design strength of about 500 y if epistemic uncertainties are neglected, and significantly lower t han 500 years otherwise. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights res erved.