Wind load - is it a FORCE or PRESSURE?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the classification of wind load on buildings, specifically whether it should be considered a pressure or a force. Participants explore the definitions and implications of these terms in the context of fluid dynamics and structural engineering.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants question whether wind load should be measured in terms of pressure due to its non-contact nature, while others discuss the implications of defining wind as a flow of gas and how that relates to pressure and force. There are inquiries about the relationship between the flow of gas and its measurement in terms of pressure versus force.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants expressing differing views on the nature of wind load. Some have provided insights into the definitions and characteristics of pressure and force, while others are exploring the implications of these definitions without reaching a consensus.

Contextual Notes

There are indications of confusion regarding the terminology used to describe wind load, with references to the definitions of pressure and force, as well as the nature of wind as a flowing gas. Participants are grappling with the conceptual framework surrounding these terms.

joeykeys
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Homework Statement



Explain if wind on walls and roofs of buildings is considered a pressure or a force?


Homework Equations



P = F/A


The Attempt at a Solution



Wind load should be measured in terms of pressure?..but I don't know the exact reason why it is. Does it have something to do with "non-contact" force?..


Thanks for your time for the explanation!
 
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Why do we have to consider wind as pressure or force, when it is defined as the flow of the gas, which means it is a phenomenon?
 
Do you mean that measure of the flow of gas/liquid must be in term of "pressure" but not "force"?
 
No (I don't know why the word "pressure" was underlined).
You may describe the state of the flow at a point with many quantities, such as velocity of the element of the gas at that point, pressure of the gas, etc. Flow means motion, and so, it cannot be measured; it can only be described.
 
How would you comment on the "wind load" on buildings then?
Is it a pressure but not a force?
 
I've just googled a little bit and found that people defined "wind load" as force, which means there should be something getting hit by the wind. But when you mention wind, it's neither force nor pressure.
 

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