The nature of gust loading on tall buildings.

Reports measurement of wind pressures on Royex House, a multi-storey building in London. Reports that suction loads on cladding are more severe than had been indicated by wind tunnel tests. Face-on winds produce the maximum structural loading with whole of peak load on windward face. Short duration structural loads are about 60% greater than the one minute averages, but overall drag coefficient in natural wind appears to decrease as wind-and load- averaging times are decreased and so is less for gust loading conditions that that usually assumed in wind load calculations based on model tests. These two effects largely balance each other.