Wind forces on emergency storage structures: Introduction

Wind forces on emergency storage structures

		Valedictory
		Acknowledgements
		Summaries
		Introduction
		The nature of weather
		Wind forces
		Combating wind loads
		Full-scale testing of film plastic-clad structures
		Discussion
		Recomendation
		Conclusion
		References
		Appendices

Introduction

Emergencies requiring food relief are sadly a regular occurrence, especially in Africa. The various structures required to store this food have been evaluated (O'Dowd et al., 1988). Relief workers reported that although plastic-clad steel frame stores were easy to erect and relocate, this type of structure was vulnerable to wind damage (see Frontispiece). Twenty have recently been destroyed by wind in three disaster areas: Mali, Uganda and Sudan. (Hodges, 1987; Timpson, 1987; Fortman, 1987). Although open door flaps/ventilators and poor foundations certainly contributed, it is also likely that under-design was to blame; it is known that at least two manufacturers used design wind speeds suited to the United Kingdom rather than to the Sahel. Another manufacturer uses the British Standards Institution Code of Practice CP3(1972), applicable to rigid structures, for inflatable warehouses which are flexible. In this supplement the nature of wind damage and how design procedures can be improved are examined.