Delta Engineering SE
Mechanical and Ocean Solutions

Shelter Frame Wind Load Analysis

A Shelter Frame Analysis begins with a shelter drawing from the client. The drawing is converted into a 3D SolidWorks model which is imported into SolidWorks Simulation Beam Analysis where the individual shelter frame members are converted into beams with the same material and geometric properties as the original shelter frame.

Wind load pressure is determined using methods outlined in AISC 7-05. These wind load pressures are converted to wind load forces by multiplying these pressures by shelter covering areas. A sample of these wind load pressure to wind load force calculations are shown on the bottom right of this page. The calculations were performed using MapleSoft Mathematics software.

SHELTER FRAME SOLID MODEL AND STRESS PLOT

Shelter Frame Solid Model and Stress Plot Explanation

The image above shown a solid model and stress plot of a 52 ft x 40 ft shelter structure. The structure was modeled and analyzed with SolidWorks Simulation Beam Analysis software. A wind load of 120 mph at a direction 45 degrees relative to the structures roof ridge was used in the wind load analysis. The stress plot shown in the bottom image indicates that the maximum stress in the structure is about 32 ksi at the location indicated by the label on the stress plot.

SolidWorks Beam Analysis

You can simplify structural beams to optimize performance in Simulation to be modeled with beam elements. The size of the problem and the resources required are dramatically reduced in this case.

For the beam formulation to produce acceptable results, the length of the beam should be 10 times larger than the largest dimension of its cross section.

Wind Load Force Calculations

Click the image below to view the AISC 7-05 Wind Load Calcs used in the Shelter Frame FEA.