The Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently published ASCE/SEI Prestandard for Performance-Based Wind Design.

This Prestandard is a recommended alternative to the prescriptive procedures for wind design of buildings in the International Building Code (IBC) and the nationally adopted standard, Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE 7). According to SEI, the Prestandard results in buildings capable of achieving the wind performance objectives specified in the ASCE 7 design load standard--and in many cases--superior performance, if properly implemented.

The Prestandard was developed and published with research funding support from the Charles Pankow Foundation, and co-funding support from AISC, ASCE Industry Leaders Council, the ACI Foundation, and the MKA Foundation.

"This research will advance the use of performance-based design procedures for the design of tall buildings and enhance their performance during wind events. These procedures will allow for innovation by the design profession to use unique or unusual structural systems, incorporate novel materials and design approaches for tall buildings to better protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public," says Don Scott, PE, vice president and director of engineering of PCS Structural Solutions and the prime investigator leading the development team for the Prestandard.

The new Prestandard includes major innovations, such as nonlinear dynamic analysis for wind design, limited inelasticity in the main wind force-resisting system elements, system-based performance criteria, and enhanced design criteria for the building envelope.

The Prestandard is available here for free download.