TO WHAT EXTENT THE WIND VELOCITY AT THE DAY OF FAILURE CAN BE

THE REASON FOR FAILURE

The Importance of Wind

An area that often confuses disagreement is a wind specification design. As the main
driver of tower structure design, it is important that precise design accuracy of wind design. Most
customers determine the design requirements of wind turbines related to velocity. Because the
structure is completely designed to withstand various pressures, the wind load becomes one of
them, the conversion must be made from velocity to pressure. It is here that various standards
determine and measure wind and wind velocities in different ways and hence the formula used to
convert this velocity to pressure yields results that may change by 25%. This makes the 25%
difference in the cost of the tower material, the 25% difference in design loads that will produce
different base sizes which all mean completely different cost assemblies.

Definition of Wind Speed

Wind speed subjects are often the subject of controversy. The correct specification
specifies wind speed and usually specifies ANSI or British Standard specification, to determine
the formula for conversion to wind pressure, wind uptake with height, and safety factor. Often
the specification times only give wind speed such as "Hold" or "Survival". These terms are
specifically excluded from modern structural design standards because of their ambiguity.
References to these terms by uncommon consumers with wind load terms leave customers open
to designs and offerings that seem to meet RFQ requirements, but may fall short by 20 to 30
percent from desired structural capacity. EIA/ TIA can also be used for "uniform wind speed"
see below).
Basic Wind Speed

This design increases the wind speed from the "base" of the tower (defined as part of the
tower from the ground to a height of 10 meters) to the top of the tower. For example, for a 90-
meter (300-foot) tower with a basic wind speed design of 115 kph (70 mph), the wind speed
design at the base of the tower is 115 kph (70 mph); starting at a height of 10 meters, wind speed
increases according to the formula specified in the design standard until it reaches a value of 160
kph (100 mph) at the top of the tower.

Uniform Wind Speed

This design uses the same wind speed for overall height of the structure. Since this is a
"wind" design, there is a safety factor that includes a minimum of 1.25. Be careful when
evaluating suggestions. An easy way to determine whether the design is the same from one offer
to another is to compare the basic reaction of the tower (the structural load sent from the tower to
the base). The reaction should be the same if the two structures have three feet, or slightly higher
for a three-foot tower when comparing the three foot-to-tower feet to four feet.