DM to implement revised wind codes for buildings
New rules will take into account the increased number of high-rise construction projects in Dubai
Dubai Municipality will introduce the new code in 2013.
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Dubai Municipality will implement a revised Wind Code applying to the construction of any new building in the emirate in 2013, it was announced on Sunday.
The new rules will take into account the increased number of high-rise construction projects in the emirate, a report in Emirates 24/7 said.
With so many tall buildings, Moawya Safarina, engineer at the Permit Section of Dubai Municipality’s Building Department, said that different standards are required when it comes to wind and seismic design.
According to Safarina, wind not only affects structures at different intensities, but new structures also alter wind flows.
As a result, architects designing buildings where more than 15% of the terrain is covered by structures taller than 15m will have to take into account different requirements than when designing a building for an open area without obstacles, he explained.
The code is still currently under review, Safarina said, but added that it elaborates on specific requirements for structures that are ‘spatially irregular’, flexible or very tall. It also covers structures that are susceptible to ‘vortex shedding’, ‘galloping’ or ‘wake buffeting’.
Due to these characteristics causing human discomfort, the code states that such structures will be required to undergo wind tunnel testing to gain more accurate estimations.
