Calculating wind load –
The basis for dimensioning the lightning protection system
The basis for dimensioning the lightning protection system
The wind load calculation is an essential step in the planning and installation of a lightning protection system. It ensures that the planned system can withstand the effects of the wind and functions perfectly.
Calculate the wind load in 5 steps
The first step is to determine the wind zone. The building category is then determined. Further steps are the determination of the object height and of the gust wind speed. Finally, individual technical parameters are taken into account in order to include specific properties of the structure in the wind load calculation.
Step 1: Determine wind load
Wind zone as basic parameter
Germany is divided into four wind zones with different basic wind speeds. The basic wind speeds are divided as follows:
Basic speed:
22.5 m/s (wind zone 1)
25.0 m/s (wind zone 2)
27.5 m/s (wind zone 3)
30.0 m/s (wind zone 4)
Wind zone according to postcode
Want to calculate the wind zone? Simply enter the postcode of the area in question.
Step 2: Determining the terrain type
Terrain-specific loads also influence the wind load.
In which of the following terrain types is the object located?
Terrain type I
Open sea; lakes with at least 5 km open area in wind direction; smooth, flat land without obstacles
Terrain type II
Terrain with hedges, individual farmsteads, houses or trees, e.g. agricultural area
Terrain type III:
Suburbs, industrial or commercial areas, forests
Terrain type IV:
Urban areas in which at least 15% of the area is built up with buildings whose average height is > 15 m
Step 3: Determining the object's height above the ground
The height specification includes the height above ground level. The height point to be determined (height above ground) depends on the type of installation of the air-termination system.
For free-standing air-termination systems/stands (left):
Height above ground level = stand erection level
For air-termination systems by means of attachment to walls/object (right):
Height above ground = highest clamping point on the object
Step 4: Determining the gust wind speed
Definition
Using the parameters defined in steps 1 to 3, the respective gust wind speed (wind load according to Eurocode) can be taken from the table. You can find the table here for download:
TableStep 5: Considering individual technical parameters
In a final step, the determined gust wind speed is compared with the specifications of the planned lightning protection components. The respective product-specific installation instructions and wind load specifications can be found in our online catalogue for lightning protection:
To the product databaseService and support
DEHNplan design software
With DEHNplan, you can easily plan standard-compliant external lightning protection for your project. The BIM-enabled software facilitates your planning with a visual representation of the protected volume and separation distances.
Wind load calculation form
We will be happy to calculate the wind load for you free of charge! Simply fill out our enquiry form
with all the relevant information and send it back to technik.support@dehn.de.
Downloads
| Brochure | Isolated and insulated lightning protection | Professional design and dimensioning | .pdf 3 MB |
| Flyer | DEHNplan | Digital lightning protection planning | . pdf 0.5 MB |
Any questions?
Send us an email to technik.support@dehn.de or call us on +49 9181 906 1750.