Standards Australia has published ‘AS 4055 – 2012 Wind loads for housing’. The standard will be referenced in the National Construction Code 2013 edition.
“This standard will be a fundamental technical document for Australia’s building and construction industry,” said Adrian O’Connell, General Manager of Operations, Standards Australia.
The standard specifies wind speed classes for determining wind loads of buildings. The wind speed classes are for use in the design and construction of housing, and for manufacturing of residential building products.
“The document aims to improve the modelling of topographic effects. Topography determines the effect of wind on a house because of its location on a hill, ridge or escarpment and considers its height and slope,” Mr O’Connell said.
“The determination of wind speed classes, and the identification of topographic effects, are fundamental to design and construction of housing which is resilient to extreme weather events,” he added.
Development of the revised edition commenced with a joint meeting of both relevant committees to ensure that the document was compatible with the AS/NZS 1170.2 structural actions standard.
The standard was prepared by the technical committee to supersede AS 4055—2006.
The following organisations are represented on the committee:
-
Australian Building Codes Board
-
Australian Window Association
-
Concrete Masonry Association of Australia
-
Cyclone Testing Station
-
Engineers Australia
-
Forest and Wood Products Australia
-
Housing Industry Association
-
Master Builders Association
-
Roofing Tile Association of Australia
-
Think Brick Australia
