The Florida Building Code (FBC) has released the 2023 8th Edition, and the most significant change is that it now references ASCE 7-22 rather than ASCE 7-16. We have already summarized the major changes made in ASCE 7-22 in this article link. There were some minor...
In designing structures we typically want to calculate wind loads at elevations that are important for the structure. Some tall buildings have each floor being the same height and other structures such as the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona which is completely...
It was Benjamain Franklin that said "..in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes and code changes". Ok, maybe I added that part about code changes, but it is true. Just about the time you think you understand the code and how to apply...
Many times we have the difficult task of analyzing a structure that was designed long ago. In such cases, you may find that the wind speed used may appear significantly lower than the wind speed you would expect for that location using today's standards. In these...
There can be confusion from users on how to read and interpret the MecaWind Base Reactions that are provided by the MecaWind software program. There is a lot of data presented, and it can become overwhelming. This article is intended to help explain how MecaWind...
It was Tom Cruise in "Top Gun" who once said, "I feel the need, the need for speed". I sometimes wonder if Tom Cruise is on the ASCE 7 committee, because it feels like they have the need to change the wind speed basis with every new release of ASCE 7. I'm not...
I live in Oklahoma and during the Spring and Fall seasons we tend to have a lot of tornadoes, and that's why this part of the country is part of the region dubbed "Tornado Alley." Since our company sells the MecaWind software, we sometimes get asked whether MecaWind...
Calculating pressures on windows and doors is one of the most common operations performed in MecaWind, and so we thought we would make a brief video to explain the way to calculate Components and Cladding (C&C). We also show some tips for new features in...
I am an amateur cyclist, and I typically ride my bike on trails in my home of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma at an elevation of 700 ft [213 m]. One year I took my bike on a vacation to Breckenridge, Colorado at an elevation of 9,000 ft [2743 m]. The first thing I noticed...