Performance of Light-Frame Wooden Structure (LFWS) subjected to combined wind and flood hazards
Abstract
Light Frame Wooden Structures (LFWS), which are more prone to wind damage by virtue of their light weight, sustain severe damage when they are subjected to simultaneous flood and wind. A difficulty in Multi-hazard design for wind and flood is that the load and resistance factor make use of different design philosophies developed by different sub-disciplines. After Multi-hazard events, in most cases, it is complicated to determine the sole damage done by flood or wind alone. The load path of Wooden structure is already ambiguous, the addition of flood characteristics makes the analysis and design process more complicated. It has therefore become a necessity to understand the performance of LWFS subjected to both individual and combined action of wind and flood hazards. Flooding events are well evident even on areas beyond Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) but still there are no requirements for buildings to be elevated and designed for flood loadings in those areas.
This thesis presents comprehensive investigation of the advanced analysis of Light- Frame Wooden structure and concisely developed flood and wind characteristics. Two types of buildings, Slab-on-ground type and elevated type located in 500-year flood plain and 100- year flood plain, respectively is modeled to understand their performance against combined action of flood and wind loadings. Detailed analysis is done to understand local and global failure mode of each type of building for different flooding conditions, assuming similar wind loading conditions. From the overall performance of Slab-on-grade type building located in high wind region and 500-year floodplain, it was concluded that a non-engineered building constructed complying only the minimum requirement set by building authorities is liable to fail locally at Wall to foundation shear connection.