Building to resist the effect of wind, v. 1 : overview

1) OF A FIVE-VOLUME SERIES DESCRIBES THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF A RESEARCH PROJECT CONDUCTED TO DEVELOP IMPROVED DESIGN CRITERIA FOR LOW-RISE BUILDINGS TO BETTER RESIST EXTREME WINDS. THIS DOCUMENT PRESENTS THE BACKGROUND, GOALS, PROCEDURES, AND RESULTS OF THE PROJECT, WHICH WAS BEGUN IN 1973 AND CONDUCTED FOR THREE AND ONE-HALF YEARS. THE PROJECT WAS SPONSORED BY AID AND THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS. THE RATIONALE WAS THAT SUCH RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO REDUCE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY, DISRUPTION OF PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY, AND COSTS OF DISASTER RELIEF. PROJECT RESULTS INCLUDE A METHODOLOGY FOR ESTIMATING EXTREME WIND SPEEDS; DEVELOPMENT OF WIND TUNNEL MODELING TECHNIQUES; A HEIGHTENED AWARENESS OF THE WIND PROBLEM AND THE NEED TO GUARD AGAINST IT; AND DOCUMENTATION OF INFORMATION IN THE AREAS OF DESIGN WIND SPEEDS AND PRESSURE COEFFICIENTS, ECONOMIC FORECASTING, SOCIOECONOMIC AND ARCHITECTURAL CONCERNS, AND CONSTRUCTION DETAILING PRACTICES. DURING THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT, A PROGRAM WAS BEGUN TO TRAIN PROFESSIONALS AND TECHNICIANS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO CARRY OUT WIND MEASUREMENTS AND ANALYSES. METHODS TO ENSURE TRANSFER OF INFORMATION TO USER GROUPS WERE EMPLOYED.