Research

Optimal application of climate data to the development of design wind speeds

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Abstract

Accurate extreme wind statistics are important for the design of a safe and economic built environment. The recent revision of the South African Wind Loading Code for engineers (SANS 10160-3:2011) will also include a reassessment of design wind speed statistics. In addition, the Wind Atlas of South Africa (WASA project) focuses, amongst others, on the development of a Regional Extreme Wind Climate (REWC) for South Africa. Wind farms are planned for areas with relatively strong and sustained winds, with wind turbines classed according to their suitability for different wind conditions. The REWC statistics are used during the construction and design phase to make assumptions about the local strong wind climate that the wind turbines will be exposed to, with the local environment and topography as additional input. The simultaneous development of the REWC and revision of the extreme wind statistics of South Africa created an opportunity to bring together a range of expertise that could contribute to the optimal development of design wind speed information. These include the knowledge of the statistical extraction of extreme wind observations from reanalysis and model data, the quality control and extreme value analysis of measured wind data, the reliability basis of statistical results, and the principles of wind action on structures and its standardization.