Impact of Roof Tie Downs and Internal Pressure on Timber Framed Buildings in a Cyclone

Tropical Cyclone Seroja crossed the Mid-West coast of WA on Sunday 11 April 2021 near Port Gregory (between Kalbarri and Geraldton and caused extensive damage to many buildings in its path. Around 10 % of buildings in Kalbarri and Northampton had damage classified as ‘severe’ or ‘total’.

This product includes:

Access to the full webinar recording.

Access to a multiple choice quiz Which upon completion with a passing grade you will receive a Certificate of Completion, endorsed by the WoodSolutions program to be eligible for 1 formal CPD point.

Please check your association's specific requirements for CPD points and eligibility. Refunds will not be accepted for denied CPD points.

Structural design standards use a maximum 0.2-sec gust wind speed, and for TC Seroja, the 0.2-sec gust wind speed was between 46 and 51 m/second (166 to 184 km/h) at Kalbarri, which is around 80 to 90% of the design wind speed for Importance Level 2 buildings in Wind Region B.

During this webinar, Geoff discusses the findings from the investigation of damage caused by TC Seroja. The investigation provided a unique opportunity to examine the performance of buildings in Wind Region B subjected to cyclonic winds and identify potential design or construction issues. Geoff focuses on the tie-downs in the roof, explore the role increased internal pressure played in many of the roof failures, and discuss the implications for design in Wind Region B2.

Speaker Professor Geoff Boughton BE PhD (Timber Eng) CPEng FIEAust -- TimberED Services, Perth.