Building to resist high wind cyclonic forces: A Case Study of Cyclone Seroja

Tropical Cyclone Seroja crossed the Mid-West coast of WA on Sunday 11 April 2021 near Port Gregory (between Kalbarri and Geraldton and caused extensive damage to many buildings in its path. Around 10 % of buildings in Kalbarri and Northampton had damage classified as ‘severe’ or ‘total’.

Structural design standards use a maximum 0.2-sec gust wind speed, and for TC Seroja, the 0.2-sec gust wind speed was between 46 and 51 m/second (166 to 184 km/h) at Kalbarri, which is around 80 to 90% of the design wind speed for Importance Level 2 buildings in Wind Region B.

During this webinar, Geoff discusses the findings from the investigation of damage caused by TC Seroja. The investigation provided a unique opportunity to examine the performance of buildings in Wind Region B subjected to cyclonic winds and identify potential design or construction issues. Geoff focuses on the tie-downs in the roof, explore the role increased internal pressure played in many of the roof failures, and discuss the implications for design in Wind Region B2.

Speaker:

Professor Geoff Boughton BE PhD (Timber Eng) CPEng FIEAust -- TimberED Services, Perth.

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