DOI: 10.5176/2301-394X_ACE17.125
Authors: Said Almaawali
Abstract:
In Oman, the usual practice is to adopt design recommendations from foreign codes of practice which can be quite irrelevant due to the differences in climatic and geographic conditions. To highlight the present situation of basic wind speed in Oman, This paper tried to study this situation to encourage decision makers to speed up the issue of Omani code of practice. A questionnaire is designed and introduced to some engineering design firms in Oman. However, only eight firms had responded. The questionnaires were answered by all engineers to test the uniformity of values given. The questionnaires consist of twelve questions in order to study all required concerns. The experience of engineers in design varies from 1 year to 20 years. All firms reported that they usually design for wind loads. The wind loads in Oman cannot be neglected because of the relatively high daily records of wind speeds. Oman has also been severely affected twice by tropical cyclones. The main aim of the questionnaire was about the basic wind speed used in design. However, the firms reported different values. The minimum value was 26m/s and the maximum was 55m/s. Most of the firms replied that they did not refer to any previous research in the determination of basic wind speed for Oman.
Keywords: Oman; Basic wind speed; Structural Engineering; Building design.
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