The wind spectrum in structural engineering assesses wind effects on vertical slender structures. Derived from the Power Spectral Density (PSD), it reflects wind energy distribution across frequencies. It encompasses the Turbulence Component, representing wind speed fluctuations crucial for dynamic analysis, and the Mean Wind Component, an average speed over time, considered in structural assessments.
To calculate the mean wind speed from measured wind data, you typically perform a time-averaging process. The mean wind speed (U) is calculated as the average of the instantaneous wind speed measurements (u(t)) over a specific time duration (T):
U = (1/T) int{0}^{T} u(t) .dt
Here, T is the averaging time, and u(t) is the instantaneous wind speed at time (t).
Wind buffeting loads result from a structure's dynamic response to turbulent wind, analyzed using the wind spectrum with mean wind and turbulence components. Employing methods like random vibration theory helps determine the dynamic response and induced loads. Crucially, accurate representation of the wind spectrum demands a thorough analysis of wind data, considering turbulence intensity and length scales. Techniques like Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) transform time-domain wind data into the frequency domain for precise spectrum analysis.